Do you know that the way we smell reveals a lot about us? Read more below.

The way we smell can reveal a lot of information about our health, personality traits, and even dating preferences.

Everybody has body odour, even those who think their (pits) don’t stink. But not all odours are repulsive. The biology behind body odor is pretty tricky, but it's partially based on three types of glands that contribute to odours. Sweat glands exist all over the body and kick into gear when we exercise, become overheated, or feel anxious.

Sebaceous glands are also found throughout the body and only start producing their oily liquid during puberty. Apocrine glands, located mostly in the armpit and pubic regions, also start acting up around adolescence and can cause some serious stink. Steroids in apocrine secretions, especially the ones that come from the armpit, are some of the biggest culprits behind adult Body Odour (B.O). But, here's a real shocker, sweat and other secretions don’t actually smell. Sweat, sebaceous, and apocrine glands secrete volatile organic compounds, and odors arise when these "Volatile Organic Compounds" interact with bacteria on the skin, in hair follicles, and in the mouth.

While it might be possible to avoid bad B.O. by steering clear of certain foods, how we smell is largely based on genetic factors. Studies have found identical twins smell pretty much the same, even when they don’t live together. Ethnic background also comes into play: People of East Asian descent tend to sweat less and have less body odour than those of African and European descent. And elementary school girls are right that boys stink, since men tend to have stronger body odour than women.

Genetics can influence our ability to detect certain odors, too. As anyone who has walked into a boys’ locker room can guess, women are generally more sensitive to body odour than men are. Some researchers suggest this is because throughout history, women have had to be pickier about choosing the right mate. And people react completely differently to certain odorus because of their unique DNA. Take androstenone, one of the steroids in human sweat and urine. Some people say it smells like vanilla, others find it appeals to their nostrils as much as sweat or urine, and some can’t smell it at all.

But body odour can reveal more than just whether someone used deodorant today. There’s some evidence people can predict certain personality traits just by sniffing odour samples. Body odour also has a lot to do with romantic attraction, beyond the fact that it’s a good idea to deodorize before a date. Sweat, skin oils, and other secretions release pheromones, molecules that help animals communicate. In humans, pheromones can convey important information about who is a potential match.

Studies have found women are most attracted to the odours of (and most likely to smooch!) men whose genes are different from theirs. In other words, women seek out partners who will give them the best chance of producing healthy kids. Smells have a lot to do with women’s reproductive cycles. Women find high-testosterone odours more attractive when they are most fertile, while men find fertile women smell sexiest. And certain oral contraceptives don’t just change women’s menstrual cycles, they can also make ladies less likely to sniff out a potential mate. One study found women on a birth control pill were less likely to prefer the odors of men with compatible genetic profiles.

It’s still not clear whether family members can recognize each other’s smells, and people might only develop the ability once they hit adulthood. Some research suggests humans are especially skilled at sniffing out same-sex siblings. But there are certain situations when body odour indicates a serious health issue.

In most healthy adults, body odour isn’t a problem that deodorant and a regular shower routine can’t take care of (although some people might smell just fine going natural). But there are certain foods, habits, and medical conditions that can have friends and coworkers wearing face masks. Foods like garlic and curry can cause some smelly situations, since they contain chemicals that our glands excrete onto the skin. And burger-lovers beware: Some women think men who eat a lot of red meat smell worse than those who take their meals with a little less beef.

But if something smells fishy, it might be a case of trimethylaminuria, a condition in which the body can’t break down certain chemicals, instead emitting the odour of (gulp) rotting fish. A sudden change in body odour might also indicate a health issue like diabetic ketoacidosis or kidney failure. There’s some research suggesting schizophrenic patients also have a distinct body odor, though it’s unclear exactly what causes the smell.