As the temperature rises in the body, thousands of sweat glands begin to bead, preparing the body to cool down. A person has about 2.6 million sweat glands that act as a thermostat. This system consists of eccrine and apocrine glands.

Eccrine glands are the most numerous, hosted in places like the forehead, hands and feet. These glands are activated at birth and do not secrete proteins or fatty acids.

The apocrine glands, on the other hand, secrete proteins and fatty acids and are found in the genital area and underarms. These become active during puberty and secrete into the hair follicles.

Sweat from these two types of glands has no odor. Body odor comes from bacteria that live on the skin. Bacteria metabolize proteins and fatty acids secreted by the eccrine glands, ultimately producing an odor. This smell can be influenced by the type of bacteria that live on the skin and the type of food a person eats.

It is often an unpleasant smell. That's why antiperspirants and deodorants have become a popular body care product today. Many people have their favorite brand, but many are not aware that antiperspirants are actually drugs that alter the body's physiology. They contain an antiperspirant with scientifically validated active ingredients that may accelerate brain aging and contribute to Alzheimer's disease. This medication is often rubbed on the sweat glands and passed on through the body.

Deodorants and antiperspirants

Deodorants work by killing bacteria living on the skin. They give consumers a scent that is often fragrant. Commercial deodorants often contain chemical fragrances that are endocrine disruptors that are absorbed into the skin and disrupt the endocrine system. Deodorants can contain natural plant-based essential oils as an alternative to chemicals. Many of these essential oils naturally give more anti-odour power to the deodorant, due to the antibacterial properties they possess in fighting the bacteria located in the sweat glands that cause the smell of perspiration.

Antiperspirants, on the other hand, work very differently. Antiperspirants act by blocking the sweat glands, stopping the secretion of proteins and fatty acids. Most antiperspirants are made with aluminum salts such as aluminum chloride, aluminum chlorohydrate or zirconium, which are compounds of aluminum. Because antiperspirants change the physiology of the body, they "are actually considered an over-the-counter drug in the United States and are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Every antiperspirant sold in the United States has a Drug Identification Number (DIN), which is noted on the label.

Aluminium exposure and chronic neurotoxicity

In 1986, aluminum was recognized as a neurotoxin in the United States. The EPA has established a safety zone for aluminum salts in public drinking water, which is 0.05 to 0.2 milligrams per liter.

In a 2010 publication in Neurotoxicology, researchers from the University of California School of Medicine showed how prolonged exposure to aluminum salts causes neurotoxicity. In an animal model, aluminum was given at low levels to determine the acceleration of brain aging. They found aluminum salts that can increase levels of glial cell activation, inflammatory cytokines, and amyloid precursor proteins in the brain. These increases are indicative of accelerated brain aging. Aluminum salts actually increase inflammation in the brain that is also present in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Remarkably, aluminum salts like aluminum zirconium are marketed as the active ingredient in many commercial antiperspirants. Aluminum and zirconium make up 15 percent or more of most commercial antiperspirants! The label often warns consumers that the product may cause kidney damage.

So read the labels on your deodorants or antiperspirants carefully!