Common Causes of Foot Odor

There are far too many embarrassing situations in life to list them all, but dating and romantic situations tend to produce some of the most memorable. Whether it was that time you spilled a drink all over your date on the first night out, or when your car ran out of gas on the way to the restaurant, you’ve probably had times when you wished the earth would just swallow you up.

Life already offers enough opportunities for discomfiture, so we don’t want you to suffer from being embarrassed by stinky feet! Being able to treat and prevent foot odor comes down in part to understanding why it happens. Let’s take a look at causes of foot odor so you can avoid this uncomfortable situation.

There are various factors that play a role in the pungent odor that drifts up from the feet. In a majority of cases, the main contributor is sweat. This is actually fairly interesting because sweat is odorless. The smell commonly associated with human perspiration comes from bacteria typically found residing on the body. These microorganisms digest the sweat produced by glands—our feet have hundreds of thousands of these glands(!)—and then release the less-than-pleasant aroma as a byproduct.

There are other causes of smelly feet as well. These include medications, certain medical conditions, and even the food we eat. The foods that are most likely to contribute to funky odor are ones that contain sulfur, are made from refined carbohydrates, or induce sweat (which triggers the aforementioned “bacteria breaking down sweat” issue).

In rarer cases, a foul smell from the feet is an indication of an infection that needs to be treated. If the smell is accompanied by swelling, redness, drainage, red streaks, pus, fatigue, and/or fever, be sure to schedule an appointment right away so we can diagnose the condition.