The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Zinc
Posted by Suzanne (Abbotsford, BC) on 08/24/2008
★★★★★
My husband used to have a problem with body odor. I read somewhere that zinc could help with that and other problems he had, so convinced him to try it. He takes 25 mg of zinc per day and, although he may still sweat, it doesn't smell! Really cuts down on washing...
Corn Starch
Posted by Pat (Ballwin, MO) on 08/23/2008
★★★★★
Another good deodorant is CORN STARCH baby powder. Do not use powders with TALC! If you stop using soap and begin using shower gels that are clear, the Corn Starch Baby Powder does the trick.
Stop Using Soap
Posted by Samantha (NY, NY) on 08/16/2008
★☆☆☆☆
Hello Sharon A. from Greenwich, I recently posted about what I used regarding underarm odor. However, after reading Joyce's post regarding "Stop using soap" earlier this year I totally stopped. I take a longer shower and use baking soda as a body scrub (also saw this here on Earth clinic). I guess everyone is different because I found that even after eliminating soap (and with a diet of no processed food etc. etc.) after a few hours I needed help. I cannot run home to shower so I am using baking soda which is excellent and for me more long lasting than Thai crystals. When I shave I apply VCO which helps to expedite healing of any hidden cuts. After a day or so I return to baking soda because VCO is great but not as effective as baking soda.
I recently tried another natural remedy which I have not seen here on Earth Clinic - lemon juice. It sounds crazy but a friend announce that like Julia Roberts she has never used roll-ons - antiperspirant/deodorants. She does not know Julia and does not know what she uses but my friend uses a bit of lemon juice. I tried it it and was amazed that it was equally as good as baking soda. Has anyone else tried lemon juice? It is wonderful that nature has so many solutions for our needs.
Iodine
Posted by Lisa (Riverside, Ca) on 07/17/2007
★★★★★
I swab iodine under my arms each morning to keep smelling fresh. I live in a very hot climate. In the summer--iodine is a must.
Stop Using Soap
Posted by Sara (Calgary, Canada) on 02/22/2009
I have successfully been using zinc creme for body odor. the cheap store name brand from my local pharmacy. i use a very small amount on the tip of my finger and rub it in well. it's not greasy if you do this. i remain BO free all day long.
sara
Zinc Oxide Ointment
Posted by Sue ( Jamaica) on 06/18/2011
What I am thinking is this, if the reason for the body odor is not the deficiency of zinc, then zinc tabs won't work. If the body is highly acidic, then I can understand why the ACV works. Whatever is causing the BO will predict what will work and that is why some cures work with some people and not with others.
Chlorophyll
Posted by Sandhya (Makawao, HI) on 02/09/2007
★★★★★
LIQUID CHLOROPHYLL has helped me drink more water, stop body odor and stop a rash on my bottom. One or two teaspoons a day in drinking water sipping on it or drinking it all at once does wonders. If I stop I notice the difference in a couple of days. NOW brand with mint is good. Once I asked a doctor what to do about the rash as I had never had one. She said she had a rash too and did not know...it came with living in the tropics. I understood Ted from Bangkok saying that the body's ability to oxygenate itself was suppressed and this was a cause. Living in Hawaii I sweat more than other colder places I have lived and bacteria grows easily here on the skin. Also I do not have a spleen which makes my blood not as clean if I do not take something to clean it or oxygenate it. I tend to be acidic by nature and the foods I eat lean in that direction even though most would say I am health food person. I am going to try molybdenum that Ted speaks of so highly.
Rubbing Alcohol
Posted by Pam (York PA) on 03/10/2025
Oh my, please don't post your life story again. This is not a counseling group. We are coming here for solutions. Maybe find a friend or something. This was so totally unnecessary.
Activated Charcoal
Posted by Liz (Whistler) on 05/05/2020
Dear Rae,
1. Try changing laundry detergent. Perhaps one of the ingredients in your detergent is exacerbating the condition.
2. The Liver: A good liver detox might help. Milk Thistle is one herb but there are many more.
3. The Lymphatic System: Exercise to a good sweat a few times a week to help lymphatic flow.
4. Fresh Vegetable Juice like Celery or Carrot.
Search online for recipes. Report back what you try please.
Baking Soda
Posted by Brian (Lake, Fl) on 05/17/2018
Hi, I recently switched to baking soda deodorant, all natural ingredients. Yesterday I found a lump under the skin in my armpit, sensitive if I mess with it. Has anyone else experienced this?
Baking Soda
Posted by Hisjewel (Usa) on 05/19/2018
Hi Brian,
You are not alone with this. When I didn't know any better I would stop using deodorant when a lump occurred even with the soreness. I would use a powder instead and go on with my life. A day or two later lump soreness and all would be gone.
Now that I do know better, when this happens I give myself a break from deodorants and I use corn starch. It seems the problem is the solid deodorants may block the sweat glands. I am not sure about the why, but I do know that a break from solid deodorant as soon as I get lump and the lump disappears.
HisJewel
Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda
Posted by Ellasunflower (Atlanta, Ga) on 05/06/2017
I wonder if I'm the only person experiencing this - I'm trying to stop using traditional deodorants (too many chemicals in my opinion). As a natural alternative, I've tried using apple cider vinegar and baking soda (at times even lime). All these make my armpits stink even more! I've tried combining them with coconut oil, but they always end up smelling pretty bad...Like I smell like apple cider vinegar right now! I was just wondering if anybody else has experienced this?
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Avie (Uk) on 03/27/2017
★★★★★
I pour a couple of caps in warm bath water which I find reduces body odour across the day. Also clothing made of Bamboo and Merino wool is very helpful too.
Undigested Proteins
Posted by Kay (Fl, US) on 07/13/2014
Months ago we held a fundraiser for a child plagued by such horriffic body odor she was evicted from school; the cause was her inability to digest proteins! We raised 100K for her to go to Mayo Clinic for Enzyme Therapy. Results are still pending...
Fast forward; 2 months ago (at the onset of some very minor yeast symptoms) I began getting some very, very bad body odor. Like many of you, I tried many de-odor treatments with little luck.
Fortunatly, yesterday I had an opportunity to watch my blood analysed under a "special" darkfield microscope projected on a large screen to count/chart the findings. My blood showed excess Yeast and Fungal Forms (advanced stage of yeast fermentation mutating into fungus growth/infection); and 4 related issues, all stressing out my liver (Spicules, Uric acid crystals, Rouleau, Aggregation of red blood cells). All were caused by "undigested proteins" in my blood (producing a by-product called monosodium urate).
The antidotes prescribed (by a Naturopath) were: Liver Care and Candida treatment (liver supplements, enzymes, alkalization, ACV/w Mother, lemon, garlic, coconut oil, probiotics, trace minerals, super greens and Vit C in high amounts).
The obvious and not-so obvious; a day or so before my horrible BO started, I had reintroduced wheat and other grains back into my diet (via an old friend visiting, and baking homemade bread every day for a week)! I knew the bread would probably caused a yeast flare, but I didn't realise how my poor digestion of it would inflitrate my blood, and stress out my liver too! So I'll take this bad news, as good news, and take my minor "wheat allergy" a lot more seriously now!
Severe Body Odor
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 03/08/2014
Dear xxxunknownxx,
You have certainly dealt with a lot with this issue, and I am sorry that people have been so unkind. You have done well in improving your diet, losing weight, and trying different things, enduring suffering and working. I am hopeful that your persevering spirit on healing will bring the desired results to you.
If you haven't already, do read the posts on Earth Clinic on this issue:
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/body_odor.html
Then just try different things, as you have been. I will mention a few things that I will start with.
I would try Raw Apple Cider Vinegar added to the water you drink. 1-2 Tablespoons in a tall glass of water once or twice a day. It is fine to have a splash of vinegar in all your water if you acquire a taste for it. (I like my water with vinegar better than plain now.)
I would try different types of baths--Epsom Salt, Baking Soda, Bentonite Clay, etc. These are all detoxifying. Having a couple of these a week (or more often if you like.) 1-2 cups of the Espom Salt or Baking Soda. On the clay, you will need to research this. The clay bath is a little more trouble, but people find them helpful.
You mention the possible issues of leaky gut and candida. Do you have other health issues? Also, do you have trouble with constipation? If you are not eliminating toxins out of the bowel regularly (at least daily) this can cause odor. I would look into colon cleanses.
If you do not have trouble with constipation, you can take the Bentonite Clay internally. I had a son who had a body odor problem when he was about 8, long before puberty. Showering did not help at all. It seemed to just come out his pores! I gave him Bentonite Clay daily for a while and it did seem to resolve. You Can mix 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water and let that sit overnight. Then take 1 Tablespoon daily on an empty stomach with a glass of water.
Are you getting daily exercise? It is good for the body to sweat...it gets out toxins that way.
I would also look into the turpentine section on this website and also look into parasite cleanses.
Whatever you try, try it for several months or more. It is possibly going to take a while to completely heal a long standing issue.
Keep us posted on how you are doing! I will be praying you find a solution sooner than later.
~Mama to Many~
Severe Body Odor
Posted by Man (Sojouring America) on 03/08/2014
★★★★★
Take baking soda right after you shower and and take it and put in in your arm pits and sprinkling it all over your body. Keep some with you at all times. It will work. Put in your shoes too.
Severe Body Odor
Posted by Man (Sojouring America) on 03/08/2014
Oh, I forgot the most important thing. Use baking soda on your wash rag and stop using any soap or any shampoo. Use baking soda only. The odor problem will stop and it may stop overnight. How? for thewashing with a wash cloth fill your sink with hot water and saturate your wash cloth with water. then take a spoon full of baking soda and rub it into the rag. Use that to scrub your body and face and every thing. NO more store bought soap. Your self confidence will sky rocket.
To wash your hair take a quart bottle and and put in 5 tablespoons of bakeing soda and shake it up every time and then pour some on your hair and work it with your hands gently. and then rinse out . No more shampoo from the store.
Severe Body Odor
Posted by Me (Illinois, US) on 03/19/2015
Hey I know exactly where you are coming from. I too suffered from bad body odor. You mentioned that you take Garden Of Life probiotics. I seriously recommend that you stop. Those pills contain a lot of dairy. I used to take them too. They made me smell like a sewer! Also beans made me smell horrible. Maybe you should try eliminating both? Good luck!
Zinc
Posted by Gail (Villas, Nj) on 06/16/2013
★★★★★
Underarm body odor is caused by a zinc deficiency. Take 50mg twice a day for awhile then you can lower it to one. Take with meals as it can cause irritation on empty stomach. Another symptom is white spots on nails though that can be absent and many skin conditions especially psoriasis and acne. Foot odor is usually magnesium deficiency. May this help you.
Magnesium Oil
Posted by Mawgee (Shelton, Wa) on 06/14/2013
★★★★★
Hi, try magnesium oil for body odor. After shower spray all over body and rub in well (not on nipples or other sensitive parts). You can buy magnesium oil at health food stores. But you can also make your own with magnesium chloride flakes, much cheaper than buying the already made oil. I get mine online, but you can get them at health food stores also. Sometimes it burns a little the first couple uses but that goes away after couple uses. I hope this helps.
Deodorant Recipe
Posted by Tx Kel (Frisco, Tx, USA) on 04/12/2013
★★★★★
I didn't find this recipe for deodorant antiperspirant on the site. So I thought I would share. A friend of mine shared this recipe. I love it! It is easy and works as well as aluminum ones!! I should also add that I live in Texas and it gets hot here!!
Recipe
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup corn starch or arrow root powder
- 6-8 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, melted
- (lots of people add a fragrance. I like the coconut smell and it goes away)
Note: I had a reaction (hives) to cornstarch after shaving. So I tried arrow root. It seems to work as well, but no reaction.
Note: Melt the coconut oil by putting the tub in a bowl of hot water. Use all 8 Tb if you want more moisture, more smell, or have problems like a reaction / hives.
Sift both powders to remove lumps. With an electric beater (or by hand) beat in the oil until there are no lumps and its fluffy. (Run your fingers through it)
Spoon it into any small jar. It will turn hard if you refrigerate it for about 15 minutes. You may have to do this twice, but after 2 weeks of sitting in my bathroom drawer mine is very firm and doesn't get soft. ( Maybe it takes time to really firm up? ). It makes about 2 baby food jars. Apply a pea size amount. I do reapply at night if its hot. Some people put it into an old deodorant tube after making it. I have not tried this. Enjoy!!
Exercise
Posted by Freaky (Washington, Dc, Usa) on 11/08/2012
★★★★★
After doing a whole body cleanse, I was left with body odor in one arm pit that persisted without mercy, regardless of deodorant, extra shower scrubbing, etc. I even tried witch hazel to no effect. Finally, I engaged in a vigorous exercise routine that caused profuse sweating, and suddenly it cleared up and has been gone for days.
Baking Soda
Posted by Steve (Waco, Tx) on 09/05/2012
★★★★★
Occasionally I get armpit odor, only on my left side though. The smell can be quite intense as others have said like ammonia big time. Not really sure what causes it, maybe diet or stress related but its so intermittant I cant tell. I do not use any deodorant nor have I used any for quite a few years. Baking soda has always cleared it up instantly. I'll shower and wash with soap (no dye or scent) and still be able to smell it on the left side. Once out of the shower and dry, I take 1-2 tsp of soda and lather it up while my hands are wet and apply to air dry. The smell gets more intense for a few seconds and then its 100% gone, usually for 48 hours or so. I might do this routine for a couple days and then forget about it for weeks/months until I notice the odor again. Wish I knew for sure what was causing this!
Detox
Posted by Tamara (Fort Collins, Colorado) on 06/13/2013
I can corroborate that a clean liver can mean no body odor, although I haven't done a colon cleanse. I've been doing some of the liver cleansing supplements recommended by Bill. These include magnesium, vitamin C, N-acetyl cysteine, alpha lipoic acid, Co-Q10, B vitamin complex, and milk thistle. I'm not very consistent with taking them, but when I do take them at least twice a day, I notice that I have no underarm odor and I don't use conventional deordorant.
Another observation though, is sometimes when I experiment with taking magnesium and I can get the level just right, I will also not have body odor. I don't know if it's connected at all. However, this is trickier because I've noticed that my body's needs for magnesium change from day to day, depending on diet, stress, sleep, and activity. It is very easy to overdo the Mag and get looser bowels the next day. I haven't experimented much with topical application for therapeutic levels, but I have used body sprays that have Mag oil as a base for the function of deodorant that have worked very well. I also use Milk of Magnesia as a very effective, and cheap, deodorant, which is another form of topical magnesium.
Chlorella
Posted by Kally (Oxenford, Queensland Australia) on 06/02/2012
★★★★★
Hi have you tried drinking chlorella - my husband, daughter and I use this and none of us ever need deodorant also bi-carb as deodorant another good one is using silver water all three work a treat for us.
Salt
Posted by Jennifer (Chicago, Illinois, Us) on 05/16/2012
★★★★★
IODIZED SALT (Yea)
I am battling several illnesses right now, and ever since I got sick I have the worst armpit odor! Soap doesn't remove it. I've tried baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide (separately) and they all work fairly well, but they all feel harsh on my skin and I don't like it.
The other day, I discovered a better solution: iodized salt. I had bought one of those himalayan salt stones for the shower—big mistake. Little crevices in the smooth-looking salt crystal actually SCRATCHED me and literally put salt in the wound! Will never do that again.
However, it gave me the idea of simply mixing some salt into water and applying that right in the bath after washing with soap. Works like a charm! The effect was immediate—no smell whatsoever until the next morning (and then only faint). And I didn't even use deodorant!
I chose iodized salt because iodine is a powerful antimicrobial in its own right. I mix the salt with about two parts warm water (some will not dissolve) and keep it in a little jar in the shower. At the end of the shower (soap and rinse first), I just pour some of the saltwater into my hand and splash it under each arm, being careful to get the whole underarm. When the liquid gets low, I just add some water from the shower for next time
Plastic is best for use in the bath because of the risk of glass breaking. Might be convenient to get one of those dispenser bottles with the pointy top!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Michelle (Texas) on 07/20/2012
Rachel, food grade DE should help with the pinworms. 1 tablespoon 2x's a day in whatever kind of liquid you like to drink. ACV and baking soda taken internally are amazing, so keep it up. I use a mixture of 3parts arrowroot, 1part baking soda, coconut oil, tea tree oil, and orange essential oil as a deodorant. It's amazing, hope it helps.
