Body and breath odor

[stevens]

I am a 35 year old male. For 20 years I have had a bad body odor and breath odor. It is a musty sometimes cheesey or fecal odor. My breath also has a similar musty odor even with very good hygiene.  I do not sweat excessively. I have seen doctors and dermatologist who were unable to help stating it MAY be from an internal cause. The odor is not from underarm but from all over the body-within a few hours of showering. I have tried numerous diets and supplements including Acidophilus which made the odor smell like rotting garbage and gas. They do not eliminate the odor but alter it. I do not have any other problems or symptoms besides these odors.

Could this be from and intestinal, GI or a metabolic condition? What should I be tested for?
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Regarding the breath odor.  Most are caused from the nasal cavity or mouth.  Other causes can involve the following:
* Accumulation of postnasal drip on the posterior of the tongue
* Poor oral hygiene (particularly failure to clean between the teeth with floss or an anatomical tooth pick)
* Improper dental care (eg, faulty bridgework, leaking crowns, abscesses)
* Mouth breathing and other causes of dry mouth (eg, medication, stress, prolonged lecturing, long time between meals)

Peridex (a prescription mouthwash) can be considered.  A dental referral can be considered for further evaluation.

Body odor can be caused by constipation as well as irritable bowel syndrome.  A flexible sigmoidoscopy can be considered as an initial evaluation if constipation is an issue.  

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.

[yoshi]

have you tried charcoal tablet??

[littlelady3]

Maybe you should see a nutrionalist.  Or an Herbalist.  There are many different herbs and foods that could help you.  You may have candida in your system and the odor and bad breath you have could be them.  I have seen an herbalist for a while now and I have never felt better.  Just a suggestion.  They are well schooled and are not quacks.  They do know what they are talking about.

[TJV]

It certainly could be intestinal. Constipation can certainly cause it, malabsorption disorders , etc.

  It has been found that Chlorophyll (a water-soluble source of vitamin K in plant foods) may be beneficial in controlling urinary,  body, and fecal odor. You should talk to your doctor about supplementation.

[PAJ]

Your problem is probably caused by overgrowth of inappropriate microbes in the small bowel, some information for you. as you will read there is a test!!





: Altern Med Rev. 2002 Oct;7(5):410-7. Related Articles, Links

Comment in:
· Altern Med Rev. 2003 Feb;8(1):3; author reply 4-5.
  
The treatment of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth with enteric-coated peppermint oil: a case report.

Logan AC, Beaulne TM.

Integrative Care Centre, 3600 Ellesmere Road, Unit 4, Toronto, ON M1C 4Y8, Canada.

Recent investigations have shown that bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine is associated with a number of functional somatic disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. A number of controlled studies have shown that enteric-coated peppermint oil (ECPO) is of benefit in the treatment of IBS. However, despite evidence of strong antimicrobial activity, ECPO has not been specifically investigated for an effect on small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). A case report of a patient with SIBO who showed marked subjective improvement in IBS-like symptoms and significant reductions in hydrogen production after treatment with ECPO is presented. While further investigation is necessary, the results in this case suggest one of the mechanisms by which ECPO improves IBS symptoms is antimicrobial activity in the small intestine.

Publication Types:
· Case Reports

PMID: 12410625 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


More info  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Display&dopt=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=14638371