Teenagers really stink! Teens’ body odor contains unique compounds that smell like sweat, urine, musk and sandalwood, study shows
- Researchers compared the composition of the body odor of babies and teenagers
- They discovered that teenage BO has two unique compounds that smell like sweat and urine
Most parents will be familiar with the smell of a teenager’s bedroom.
Now scientists have confirmed that they really do have their own special scent: of sweat, urine, musk and sandalwood.
Researchers compared the chemical composition of body odor samples from 18 babies between zero and three years old, and 18 teenagers between 14 and 18 years old.
There was an even mix of male and female participants in each age group.
Samples were collected from cotton pads sewn into the armpits of T-shirts and bodysuits that participants wore overnight.
Most parents will be familiar with the smell of a teenager’s bedroom. Now scientists have confirmed that they really do have their own special scent โ โโof sweat, urine, musk and sandalwood (stock image)
Teen participants and the parents of young participants were instructed to avoid strongly flavored foods, perfumed products, and laundry detergents for 48 hours prior to the study.
Analysis showed that although the chemical composition of body odor was similar in both groups, teenagers’ odor contained higher concentrations of certain acids.
The scents of these acids are described as ‘cheesy’, ‘fruity and dried plum-like’, ‘musty, coriander-like and oily’, ‘goaty’, ‘waxy and soapy’ and ‘earthy, grassy and green pepper-like’.
The researchers also identified two compounds found exclusively in teen samples that they said smelled like “sweat, urine and musk” as well as sandalwood.
Meanwhile, babies’ body odor samples were described as “violet-like” and “soapy and perfume-like.”
The authors suggest that some differences in chemical composition may be due to the difference in activity of sebaceous and apocrine sweat glands โ both associated with hair follicles โ between teenagers and infants.
They speculate that the absence of unpleasant-smelling steroids, along with lower levels of certain acids in body odor samples from babies, could contribute to them generally being rated as more pleasant-smelling than body odors from teenagers.
The team from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany published their findings in the journal Communications Chemistry.
They wrote: ‘Body odors contribute differentially to interpersonal communication between parents and their offspring at different stages of development.
‘Soon after birth, babies learn to recognize their mother’s individual scent and parents can identify their own baby’s body odor, which is preferable to the smell of other babies.
‘Infant body odors are pleasant and rewarding to mothers and as such likely facilitate parental affection.
‘Body odors of adolescent children, on the other hand, are rated as less pleasant and parents cannot identify their own child at this stage of development.’