Question: I am a 48 year old male in good physical condition...I lift and jog regularly and run a half marathon nearly monthly.

For about 3 months my skin has had a sweet smell that tends to ebb and flow during the week. Usually in the morning the smell is fainter, but once I get moving it tends to increase. I don't believe it is due to sweating. My skin also tends to itch throughout; however, not enough to where I am scratching myself raw. I was told by an allergist that I have no allergies which would cause the problem and I was given Triamcinolone Acetonide to treat a psoriasis condition that had developed at the base of my spine, elbows, and above my eyelids. I have been tested twice in the past two months for my fasting glucose levels and they are normal. I am not gaining or losing weight, nor do I have excessive thirst, so I don't believe it is diabetes. I have no family history of diabetes either. I have noticed that when I drink several beers (3-4) that the smell is greater the following day.

I recently started on Vitamin D supplements due to a low Vitamin count (I live in the Pacific NW), so I was hoping it might have been caused by that but now that my Vitamin D levels are approaching the normal range I see no change in my condition. I also saw an increase in my cholesterol levels at the same time for which I have been prescribed lipitor. My blood pressure is low. I had a CRP done and it was normal. I began taking OTC probiotics (30-50billion/10strain) to see if there might have been a yeast infection in my blood, but it doesn't seem to change the condition.

Physically I don't feel tired or weak. If it were not for the smell of my skin and the occasional scratching I would I think I was perfectly healthy. Nothing in the battery of testing I have had so far indicates a disease or metabolic disorder to my physician. I don't have AIDS nor am I HIV positive. I am at a complete loss as to what my be causing the condition. My health care provider has no more answers/recommendations. Any ideas?

Thanks. This is not ordinary body odor....this is a distinct scent that is constantly with me even after I shower...which I do regularly. The odor is only noticeable by those who directly smell the skin. One nurse told me it smells like "Juicy Fruit." The scent is present throughout my body (hands, arms, legs) and is not confined to the underarm region. It is fainter in the morning when I first awake, but increases as I start my day....I do not notice it becoming stronger after I work out. Any other ideas?

Thank you. I noticed the smell and scratching before I started on lipitor. It was as a result of my symptoms I went to the doctor to discover I had very low vitamin D levels and a cholesterol spike of more than 60 points with no change in diet. Could there be a linkage between low vitamin D, high cholesterol, and perhaps bacterial growth on the skin. Again I notice the scent is faint when I awake and increases as I get moving in the day. I shower in the mornings after I work ou, but working out by itself doesn't necessarily make the smell increase. I'm at a loss.

Thanks for the insight. I failed to mention my wife, my in-laws, and my allergenist noticed the sweet smell to my skin in addition to the nurse.

I don't touch garlic or hot spices so I'll cut out coffee and see where that leads me.