Who hasn’t heard someone say that they have “sweet blood” for mosquitoes because they are always full of bites? The truth is that this common sense is wrong. There is another factor that attracts insects and other animals, even dogs: human sweat.
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However, sweating isn’t the only attraction. The human body, as a whole, emits chemical, thermal and even respiratory stimuli that call to animals. In this case, some people end up being more “flashy” than others, which has nothing to do with “softer blood.”
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Factors that attract animals
Aline Passos, general practitioner, specifies that the main attraction on long distances is carbon dioxide (CO₂), which is eliminated by breathing. Others include lactic and uric acid, body heat, and even skin moisture. “They function as a biochemical signature, allowing the insect to identify humans as a food (blood) source,” he explains.
These are the compounds present in sweat that attract mosquitoes
Aline also mentions that attractiveness varies considerably between individuals, being influenced by genetic, metabolic, hormonal and environmental factors.
Check out some of them, according to the expert:
- Individual genetics, which influence the composition of sweat and skin.
- Sweat production and composition, especially in people with greater eccrine gland activity.
- The skin microbiota, because different bacteria produce different odors.
- Higher basal body temperature.
- Recent physical activity, which increases the release of lactic acid and CO₂.
- Gestation.
- Alcohol consumption, which promotes changes in body odor.
“These factors explain why, in the same environment, some people are disproportionately bitten more than others,” explains the general practitioner.
What explains the smell
According to the professional, the odor is associated with the action of microorganisms on the skin, and not with newly produced sweat. “Skin bacteria metabolize glandular secretions and release lipids, amino acids and proteins. This metabolism results in the production of organic compounds, responsible for body odor.”
Topical repellents containing substances such as DEET, icaridin (picaridin), or IR3535 have proven effective
In addition, sweat from the apocrine glands, located mainly in the armpits and genital area, contains secretions richer in organic substances, which serve as “food” for bacteria. This intensifies the characteristic smell we know.
Aline also adds that, depending on their chemical composition, products like perfumes, creams and repellents can interfere with attraction. “Repellents containing substances such as icaridin have proven effective, as they block or confuse olfactory receptors, inhibiting the landing and detection of attractive compounds in sweat.”
In the case of cosmetics, those with floral or sweet scents are more eye-catching. The famous essential oils, such as lemongrass, have a slight repellent effect, of limited duration.
“The appropriate choice of topical products is a relevant factor in modulating the attraction of insects,” believes the professional.
What about the other animals?
Aline also comments that other animals can perceive human sweat. “Animals with highly developed olfactory systems, such as dogs, are able to detect and discriminate the odor of human sweat with extreme precision.”
Dogs also tend to attract
For dogs, for example, it is not just a biological characteristic. They can use their sense of smell to identify changes in emotional support, diagnostic and training contexts, as in the case of working dogs.
“This ability is used in several contexts: search and rescue, forensics and security, medical detection, to recognize changes in odor associated with hypoglycemia, convulsions and infections, and emotional recognition, since stress, fear or anxiety modify the chemistry of sweat,” concludes the expert.
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