Alcohol Sweats & Body Odour: Causes & Treatment

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Are you experiencing alcohol sweats at night after drinking alcohol? Or perhaps you’re dealing with the smell of alcohol on your body or clothes, or noticing that your bedsheets feel damp. If so, you may be feeling self-conscious about this issue and wondering how to manage it. 

Alcohol consumption can increase sweating and odour production in many ways. However, while alcohol sweats can happen to anyone who drinks alcohol, it’s more commonly associated with alcohol dependence. 

Why Does Alcohol Make My Sweat Smell?

Sweating is a vital bodily function; it regulates our body temperature, acts as a natural pain reliever, and flushes toxins and chemicals from the body. However sweating excessively or experiencing alcohol-related night sweats after alcohol consumption can be highly unpleasant and might cause an unpleasant odour or alcohol smell.

How Does Alcohol Affect Body Odour?

Alcohol triggers chemical reactions in the body producing diacetic acid and acetaldehyde, both of which cause a distinct smell. Additionally, excessively drinking alcohol can cause alcohol-induced night sweats and lead to the development of higher levels of bacteria on the skin’s surface-contributing to the alcohol odour.1

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get rid of the smell of alcohol until it has been metabolised or excreted. While the liver works hard to break down the alcohol, the remainder still has to be expelled through the pores in the form of sweat. So even if you wash yourself it is likely that you will still have some form of body odour until your body has processed the alcohol.

Causes of Alcohol Sweats & Body Odour

Alcohol affects our circulatory system, central nervous system, endocrine (hormonal) system and virtually every part of our body, and there are a number of factors that contribute to severe sweating and body odour. Here, we’ll discuss these factors in further detail.

Central Nervous System

Alcohol affects the body in various ways, including impacting our central nervous system and circulatory system. When we consume alcohol, our blood pressure increases and our blood vessels widen via a process called vasodilation. This vasodilation increases blood flow to the skin and raises skin temperature, triggering sweating to cool the body down.2

Alcohol Intolerance

One of the reasons that alcohol is making your sweat smell could be due to a genetic alcohol intolerance. Alcohol intolerance causes the body to metabolise alcohol inefficiently, primarily because it doesn’t naturally produce the enzymes it needs to break down the toxins. Evidence suggests that alcohol intolerance is one of the most common hereditary disorders in the world, affecting roughly 560 million people–8% of the global population and is more prevalent in those of East Asian descent.3 

Along with increased sweating, signs of alcohol intolerance include:

  • Facial redness
  • Headaches
  • Stuffy nose
  • Hives or a rash
  • Vomiting / diarrhoea

The symptoms of alcohol intolerance can manifest at any stage in life. Certain high-histamine and high-sulfite drinks, such as red wine and beer may be particularly difficult for someone with an intolerance to metabolism. However, as the condition is genetic and has no cure, the best method of managing alcohol sweats caused by intolerance is complete avoidance of alcohol.4

Hormonal Effects

Alcohol can stimulate the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can activate sweat glands and increase sweating.5

Alcohol Withdrawal

Another reason for experiencing profuse sweating or night sweats could be due to an alcohol use disorder (AUD) or alcohol addiction. Stopping drinking suddenly after prolonged, excessive consumption can lead to alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, nausea, muscle aches and tremors. Discover more about alcohol withdrawal here.6

Medical support is often needed to safely managing alcohol withdrawal, so if you are concerned that you might be regularly suffering from withdrawal symptoms seek professional help.

Treating the Symptoms of Alcohol Sweats

Understanding how heavy or compulsive drinking affects alcohol-related night sweats and alcohol sweat smell is an essential component in reducing symptoms. If you’re regularly experiencing alcohol sweats, the following strategies may help you get the symptoms under control. 

Reducing Alcohol Consumption

Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption and reducing or eliminating alcohol from the lifestyle is the most effective way of treating or minimising night sweats from alcohol. 

Drinking in moderation, attending alcohol-free social events, or replacing stress-related alcohol consumption with mindfulness or stress-management exercises can help reduce intake.

Hygiene

Although alcohol odour can’t be fully washed away until the body completely metabolises and excretes the toxins, good hygiene practices – such as showering regularly with soap – can help reduce body odour caused by alcohol sweats.

Changing clothing regularly, changing bedsheets, and wearing natural, breathable fibres, as well as deodorant, can also help manage sweat, as well as increase confidence.

Self-Care

Drinking plenty of water can help aid the kidneys in flushing out toxins, and eating a balanced diet rich in natural foods will aid your body in recovering from the side-effects of alcohol.7

When to Seek Professional Help

Alcohol sweats can indicate that the body has become physically reliant on alcohol to function. Suddenly stopping alcohol consumption when there’s a physical dependence can cause serious physical and psychological risks. 

Therefore, if you or someone you know is dealing with complications such as alcohol sweats or other withdrawal symptoms caused by an alcohol misuse disorder, you could benefit from support. 

Coming to terms with alcohol problems and managing alcohol withdrawal can be difficult to do alone. If you’re stuck in a cycle of addictive behaviours, seeking professional help may be the safest option for detoxification and treatment–ensuring the best outcomes for long-term sobriety and recovery.

At CATCH Recovery, our experienced team is dedicated to facilitating the best possible results for their patients. If you’re concerned about your or a loved one’s drinking, we can arrange a medical detox and provide safe, supervised support during the stages of recovery.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Does alcohol make your sweat smell?

    Yes, alcohol can make your sweat smell through a process of chemical reactions, increasing perspiration and night sweats and excreting un-metabolised alcohol through the pores. 

  • Why does my face get hot when I drink alcohol?

    Some people experience mild flushing in the cheeks when consuming alcohol. However, severe facial flushing could be a symptom of high alcohol sensitivity or intolerance. Alcohol intolerance is a genetic condition with no known cure, so the best way to manage it is through alcohol avoidance.

  • Do you smell when you stop drinking alcohol?

    It’s possible to smell like alcohol even after you stop drinking alcohol. Until the body has metabolised toxins from the system, the smell of alcohol can persist and be excreted through the pores (for example, as night sweats).

  • Can alcohol cause excessive sweating?

    Yes, consuming alcohol can cause someone to sweat excessively or to experience night sweats. Drinking alcohol raises blood pressure and causes the blood vessels to widen, causing us to sweat more than usual. However, excessive sweating or alcohol night sweats due to prolonged, heavy drinking or alcohol addiction might be a symptom of withdrawal and may be a sign to seek professional help.