Steroid use has always been a controversial and highly debated topic. While many argue for the benefits of using these substances to enhance individual physical appearance and athletic performance, there are potential side effects that come with their use.
One of the reported side effects of steroid use is its potential impact on the way an individual’s sweat smells, with many users reporting a noticeable change.
But, do steroids make your sweat smell? Follow me below to explore this fascinating topic a bit more in-depth.
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Do Steroids Make Your Sweat Smell?
Yes. Steroid use has an observably detrimental effect on the way human sweat smells. This swift deterioration, or worsening, of the smell of body odor in steroid users, is due to a rapid and marked change in body temperature and metabolic rate.
As a result, steroid users produce more sweat than normal, and their sweat contains higher levels of bacteria, proteins, and fatty acids, which results in smellier, stinkier sweat.
The ability of steroids to make sweat smell worse than usual is a common concern among users as well as researchers and scientists
Steroid Use And Its Effect On Body Odor
Your body odor can be influenced by a variety of factors, including your diet, levels of personal hygiene, and even your genetics. However, steroid use can have a direct effect on your body odor.
Anabolic steroids, the type people take to build muscle mass, strength, and endurance more quickly, are in actuality synthetic versions of the hormone testosterone, which is directly responsible for promoting the development of male sex characteristics during puberty.
As a result of this, one of the side effects of steroid use is an increase in the production of sebum, which is an oily substance secreted by glands underneath the skin. Sebum, which helps to lubricate, moisturize, and protect the skin, can also lead to the growth of bacteria on the skin.
So, when you use steroids your body produces more sebum, which leads to more skin bacteria, and this leads to stinkier, more unpleasant-smelling sweat.
In addition to the rise in sebum production, steroid use can also lead to changes in the chemical composition of sweat. More specifically, steroid use can cause an increase in the concentration of proteins and fatty acids.
These changes result in sweat that is more easily oxidized, leading to a higher number of organic volatiles and, thus, stronger body odor.
While not everyone who uses steroids will end up with stinky sweat, it is a common enough occurrence that users are aware of the potential effects of the smell of their sweat and body odor.
If you are unlucky enough to find yourself with smellier sweat due to steroid use, there are some measures you can take to minimize it.
How To Get Rid Of Steroid Sweat
Smelly sweat due to steroid usage is a common enough occurrence that you should prepare lest you find yourself in that predicament.
Here are some tips to help reduce the pungency or smelliness of your sweat when taking steroids:
Shower Regularly
A simple shower with fresh water and a mild soap is extremely effective at removing excess bacteria and accumulated sweat from your skin. This should be your number 1 go-to remedy for body odor and smelly sweat.
Use A Stronger Deodorant
If you are experiencing smelly sweat due to steroid use, using stronger deodorant may help you control the pungent odor more effectively.
A stronger deodorant can help to reduce the smell of sweat your body produces as well as neutralize odor-causing bacteria because these products typically contain higher concentrations of active ingredients such as aluminum chloride or activated charcoal that can prevent sweat glands from producing excessive sweat, to begin with, or help to absorb the sweat that is produced.
Wear Breathable Clothing
Loose-fitting clothing made out of breathable fabrics can help you to manage your sweating and prevent the resulting buildup of bacteria on your skin that causes the pungent smell typically associated with steroid use.
Manage Your Steroid Dosage
Managing your steroid dosage is crucial for many reasons, and reducing smelly sweat is one of them. Steroids can easily increase your body’s production of sebum and stimulate the growth of smelly bacteria on your skin, leading to smellier sweat. To keep this in check, it is important that you test your testosterone levels, monitor your dosage, and never exceed it unnecessarily.
Consult With A Dermatologist
Consulting with a dermatologist might be necessary if you are not able to reduce the smell of your sweat by following the tips above. A doctor might be able to prescribe a prescription-strength antiperspirant or provide other treatments to help manage your body odor.
This is especially necessary if you are unlucky enough to develop “TMAU” or Trimethylaminuria, which is a metabolic disorder known for causing an otherwise healthy body to secrete a “fish odor”.
So, Is Steroid Sweat A Real Problem?
Some people will argue that people who use steroids tend to be more physically active and that they simply sweat more as a result. However, there is plenty of evidence that steroid use increases body temperature, and metabolic rate, and causes excessive sweating. A marked side effect of this is a more pronounced sweat smell and body odor.
Overall, while not everyone who uses steroids will suffer from this unpleasant phenomenon, steroid sweat is a very real thing for some. And these individuals may suffer from stress, social discomfort, and anxiety as a result.
If you are using steroids and are suffering from smellier sweat, try the tips above or try seeking medical help from a dermatologist.
