Why Does My Sweat Smell Sweet?

Nobody likes stinky sweat or putrid-smelling pits. But if your perspiration produces a perfume-like plume or a saccharine scent, you might be confused — and, perhaps, kind of delighted. Sweet-smelling sweat is better than bad BO, right?

Well, probably not. Your sweat shouldn’t smell like a flowery body spray. In fact, a sugary stink is sometimes a sign that something’s off in your body and you need to be checked out by a doctor.

Here, Deena Adimoolam-Gupta, MD, a New York City–based endocrinologist and internist, helps solve this mystery, explaining why your sweat smells sweet like caramelizing sugar or syrupy waffles (including when it can be dangerous to your health and what you should do about it).

The Smell: Fruity

The Culprit: Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Fruity-scented sweat (or breath or urine) could be a sign of a serious complication of diabetes called diabetic ketoacidosis.

“This occurs in individuals with diabetes, mostly type 1, if blood glucose levels are not managed,” Dr. Adimoolam-Gupta says.

Here’s why: “When glucose levels are too high and there’s not enough insulin to decrease the blood glucose values, this leads to the formation of ketones [a kind of chemical produced by your liver when it breaks down fats], which have a sweet smell,” she says.

Other symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis may include the following:

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Weakness or fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion

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‌Fix It If you have any of the above signs of diabetic ketoacidosis, seek medical treatment immediately. This condition must be urgently treated with insulin and intravenous fluids, Adimoolam-Gupta says. Left unchecked, diabetic ketoacidosis can result in a coma or even death.

Fortunately, you can reduce your risk of ketoacidosis by managing your diabetes (through diet, exercise, medication, and daily monitoring of your blood sugar) to ensure your glucose values are in a proper target range, Adimoolam-Gupta says.

The Smell: Burnt Sugar (or Maple Syrup)

The Culprit: Maple Syrup Urine Disease

If your sweat, urine, or earwax has an aroma of burnt sugar or maple syrup, you may be dealing with maple syrup urine disease (MSUD).

“This is a rare genetic disorder [usually diagnosed at birth or in early childhood] characterized by deficiency of an enzyme called branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase,” Adimoolam-Gupta says.

Because the enzyme is either completely or partially absent, it leads to a buildup of these amino acids, which may produce a possible smell of maple syrup or caramelized sugar, Adimoolam-Gupta says.

In addition to sweet-scented sweat, urine, or ear wax, people with MSUD may also experience the following symptoms:

• Vomiting, loss of appetite, and irritability
• Sluggishness, tiredness, and weakness
• Abnormal muscle movements, including spasms that cause a backward arching of the head, neck, and spine
• Developmental delays
• Seizures, convulsions, and coma (as the condition progresses)

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Without proper management, people with MSUD can develop a wide range of complications, from intellectual and physical disabilities to even death.

‌Fix It Treatment for MSUD includes dietary changes (the goal is to consume less branched-chain amino acids), Adimoolam-Gupta says. In other words, you must carefully monitor your protein intake to limit amounts of leucine, isoleucine, and valine.

The Smell: Maple Syrup

The Culprit: You Ate Fenugreek

Sweat that smells like maple syrup may also mean your diet is the culprit. Yep, what you put on your plate can make your sweat smell sweet.

Here’s why: During digestion, certain foods are broken down into aromatic compounds, which can lead to sweet-smelling scents, Adimoolam-Gupta says.

‌Fix It Fortunately, there’s a simple fix. To stop smelling like the inside of an IHOP, simply limit your intake of fenugreek.

The Takeaway

• Sweat that smells sweet (such as fruit, maple syrup, or burnt sugar) may seem positive, but it is usually a sign of a medical issue.
• Sweet-smelling sweat could be a symptom of diabetic ketoacidosis, maple syrup urine disease, or simply having eaten a lot of fenugreek.
• See a healthcare professional immediately if your sweat starts smelling sweet (and you haven’t been eating fenugreek).