Why stinky sweat is good for you
So sweat doesn't really smell bad at all. But when bacteria eat the sweat — nostrils, look out! Only it turns out that these sweat-eating critters are responsible for a big health benefit.
Back in college, I had an embarrassing moment that's forever etched into my memory. A girlfriend borrowed my backpack for a weekend trip. And when she came back, she handed me the backpack and said something I'll never forget:
"Michaeleen, you must sweat a lot because your backpack stinks. The armstraps smell like onions. Ew."
I stood there in silence, feeling totally ashamed. I'm not sure how I responded. But I remember thinking to myself, "I don't eat many onions. Does my sweat really smell that bad?"
Now 25 years later, I've come to,, which is found in hospitals around the world and is the leading cause of skin infections in the U.S.
