The Good Side of Body Odor

Smells can signal disease

(HealthDayNews) -- Body odor may not be mealtime conversation, but to those who have a trained nose, it can help diagnose disease.

Here are a few examples, courtesy of the journal, Cutis:

  • Tuberculosis produces a body odor that smells like stale beer.
  • Vitamin C deficiency -- scurvy -- causes a putrid odor.
  • Burns have a musty, grape-like odor.
  • Ketoacidosis, which may result from diabetes, smells like old apples.
  • Liver failure smells like rotten eggs.
  • Kidney failure has the smell of ammonia.

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