Do Your Feet Smell Worse in the Winter?

If you have noticed that your feet smell worse in winter, there may be a valid reason.  Shoes and socks trap heat and sweat and encourage bacterial growth.

Two bacterial species have been found to be associated with foot odor:  Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacillus subtilis.  Staphylococcus epidermidis feeds on an amino acid found in sweat, creating isovaleric acid, a compound that happens to smell like cheese.  Bacillus subtillis  is naturally found on both the skin and in the gastrointestinal tract.

Cotton clothing is better at absorbing and wicking away moisture when compared to synthetic fabrics.  Wearing cotton socks is just one suggestion for those with smelly feet.  Anti-fungal powder and roll-on antiperspirants are also utilized to treat this condition.

References:

Ara K, Hama M, Akiba S, Koike K, Okisaka K, Hagura T, et al. Foot odor due to microbial metabolism and its control. Can J Microbiol. 2006 Apr 1;52(4):357–64.

LiveScience.  Why Do Our Feet Smell Worse in the Winter?  https://www.livescience.com/57089-foot-odor-worse-in-winter.html

Image credit: Daniel Davis [CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]