Excessive Sweating Causes Foot Odour, says Doctor

Dr Glory Adamu, a general practitioner, has identified excessive sweating on the feet as responsible for cases of foot odour.

Adamu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos, that moist feet provided breeding ground for bacteria to thrive.

“Each foot has 250,000 sweat glands and produces about 500 ml of sweat daily; bacteria thrive on the excessive sweating which causes offensive smell.

“The bacterium that grows on the soles of the feet actually produces “iso valeric acid”, which causes the odour,” she said.

According to her, other conditions like stress, drugs and hormonal changes can increase the chance of smelly feet.

To reduce the growth of bacteria on the feet, warm conditions around the feet should be eliminated, he advised.

The doctor said that foot odour could be treated depending on the cause of the problem and advised those suffering from the problem to seek medical help.

“Methylated spirit can be applied once or twice a day, especially between the toes to help keep the skin dry.

“Antibiotics can also be prescribed in severe cases of foot odour to kill the bacteria,” she said.

To reduce the growth of bacteria on the foot, Adamu said that maintaining good foot hygiene was the first act to be imbibed.

She advised against the use of nylon socks and plastic shoes, which aid excessive sweating on the feet.

“Wear shoes that allow good air circulation; leather shoes should be preferred while washing of socks and scrubbing the sole of feet should be regular,” she said.

Adamu also advised against wearing the same pair of socks and shoes for two days in a row, saying that shoes needed time to dry from moist after they had been worn.