Body odor
As body odor is any odorous body odor to humans via the skin and in the broader sense also from other body cavities, such as bad breath . The smell of sweat is most clearly perceptible , whereby only the secretions of the apocrine sweat glands , which are mainly located in the armpits , smell . However, the fragrances are only created during the bacterial decomposition of the substances contained in the armpit sweat, including the body's own fats and proteins . Apocrine sweat is also odorless. This smell can be perceived as repulsive, but is also considered to be potentially erotic, since the armpit sweat substance androstenone is a breakdown product of the sex hormone testosterone .
Each person has a genetically determined, individually unique body odor that is only identical in identical twins . Decaying proteins, the so-called MHC complex , which is genetically determined and different for each person, are primarily responsible for the body's own basic odor . For this reason, there are considerations to introduce body odor samples as a distinguishing feature in forensics as a supplement to the fingerprint . The closer the genetic relationship , the more similar the body odor. Scientists also speak of a family odor . Even newborns recognize their mother by the fragrances given off by the glands on the nipples and can thus distinguish them from other people. It was demonstrated in mice that MHC-related smells influence the choice of sexual partner , minimize the risk of miscarriages and act as a natural inhibitor of incest (see Jacobson organ ).
In a study by cultural anthropologist Ingelore Ebberfeld , almost half of those questioned stated that they were sexually stimulated by their partner's body odor. “In general, one can say that women are more attracted to fragrances above the waistline and men are more attracted to fragrances below the belt.” Sexually stimulating body-own fragrances are scientifically called “ pheromones ”.
Studies have shown that on average only around 70% of women and a good 60% of men can consciously smell androstenone. This ability does not seem to be equally pronounced on all continents. The fragrance is noticed most frequently in the USA and Great Britain, in continental Europe and in Africa, however, far less often.
Increased body odor often occurs in adolescents during puberty or in older people who also lose their own olfactory ability . In addition, various smells can indicate diseases such as diabetes ( acetone odor ) and liver damage ( ammonia odor ) .
It is still not scientifically clear whether different ethnic groups have different body odors. The most noticeable odor is the armpit sweat substance androstenone . Due to a single nucleotide polymorphism - a special form of mutation - some people lack the ABCC11 protein . ABCC11 is a cell membrane transporter that secretes certain metabolic products from the apocrine cells. The mutation is particularly common in the East Asian region. For example, almost all Koreans have no ABCC11 protein, which is why Koreans have a very weak body odor.
The use of different spices in different cultures, for example garlic , has an objectively measurable influence on body odors, but also the constant handling of strongly smelling products, for example by fishermen . In this respect, clear intercultural differences can also be assumed.
The delusional idea of a bad body odor that is repulsive to other people is referred to as delusional odor .
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ BR contribution: Body odors - everyone sets their own scent mark. ( Memento from November 26, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Hanns Hatt: Taste and smell
- ↑ Dieter E. Zimmer: Smell. A science report, in: ZEIT-Magazin 1987 (PDF file; 240 kB)
- ↑ Focus: Body Odor - Active Bacteria
- ↑ Sharon Lynn: Do Members of differenct Cultures have Characteristic Body Odors? ( Memento of the original from January 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
