Have you ever been trapped in a small meeting room with a guy in a grey shirt with sweat marks under the arms? The meeting has a clear agenda, but all you can think about is that smell. Yikes, just thinking about this is enough to make me want to take a shower, scrub my armpits and apply some deodorant.

Is the problem an antiperspirant deodorant deficiency? Why have humans evolved to a strong revulsion complex to what is a normal human smell? Have artificial fragrances warped our sense of smell?

It's not normal

For our teenage boys to smell of basil, lavender, and rich vanilla. It's not normal for women to emanate Daisy Fresh, Peach Burst, Blossoming Orchid, Tropical Rush, and Berry Cool. These are all things that have been impressed upon us by the companies that make person care products, and I think it's important that we are aware of it.

Are you telling me I should stink?

Yes, a little bit, sometimes. But also I want you to think about where the smell is coming from, and I want you to think about how the smell differs when you change your diet. I noticed a significant reduction in my body odour after adopting a minimally processed, real food diet.

Beyond diet

You're probably familiar with the problems surrounding the overuse of antibiotics. Certain of the bacteria that live in our guts are considered keystone species, and without them, we're in trouble. Bees are also a keystone species crucial to the survival of plants in agriculture. The same problem is happening on our skin.

Jasmina Aganovic is a chemical and biological engineer from MIT

And she's here to talk about how the preservatives in our personal care products maybe killing a particular keystone species of ammonia oxidising bacteria that should live on our skin. These bacteria help us by eating something harmful (ammonia) and producing something beneficial (nitric oxide).

Mother Dirt

Is the name of the company that manufactures a skin probiotic product called AO+ Mist spray. I've been using the spray for the past couple of months and so far, so good. No stink!

Here's the outline of this interview with Jasmina Aganovic:

0:04:25 Why would you care about the skin microbiome?

0:05:54 Why do we shower as often as we do?

0:07:34 Bad bacteria were the first to be found.

0:08:10 Now we have a new appreciation of the microbiomes.

0:08:56 We've been programmed since childhood on how we should smell.

0:09:55 What is it about teenagers?

0:10:45 Skin care products for acne.

0:11:29 How the skin microbiome affects acne.

0:12:03 Acne seems to be lasting until later in life.

0:12:54 The bacteria typically linked to acne is P. acne and is not problematic.

0:13:37 But when you introduce harsh soaps and skin care products into the environment, you remove the keystone peacekeepers.

0:15:07 Are skin care products antibiotics?

0:16:06 The preservatives in skin care products may be problematic.

0:16:29 12% of children now have eczema.

0:17:07 Now we can manipulate the skin microbiome.

0:17:29 AOBiome founder David Whitlock noticed animals rolling in dirt.

0:18:12 Soil based ammonia oxidising (AO) bacteria.

0:19:25 We've wiped out the AO bacteria in the last 50-70 years.

0:19:44 The bacteria is very sensitive to surfactants and preservatives.

0:20:44 The AO bacteria is a keystone species for the skin.

0:21:30 AOBiome have been investigating the possibility of reintroducing the AO bacteria.

0:22:45 AOBiome are in a phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of acne.

0:24:03 C. diff treatment with S. boulardii.

0:25:41 The AO bacteria do take up residence, but you'd need a very sensitive test to find it.

0:26:23 Bumblebees are keystone species like the AO bacteria.

0:27:04 It's important that you use products that are compatible with the bacteria.

0:27:39 Even if you do still use soap you will still see benefit.

0:28:39 Stinky armpits.

0:29:17 Natural deodorants can contain aluminium.

0:29:51 Food choices affect body odour.

0:30:27 60% of AO Mist users are able to give up deodorant.

0:31:07 Is clean really the smell of freesia?

0:31:32 Part of this is coming to terms with the way humans smell.

0:32:02 Triclosan persists in the skin.

0:32:41 AO Labs helps with product development.

0:34:18 Laundry detergents stink in the US.

0:35:55 Humans were not supposed to have body odour.

0:36:18 There is a plausible mechanism for reduction in body odour.

0:37:10 Bacteria consumes ammonia in sweat, that's what smells.

0:37:58 AO bacteria consume ammonia and produce nitric oxide.

0:38:24 The nitric oxide could become systemic.

0:39:04 Diaper rash.

0:39:33 People who use the most amount products also have the most problems.

0:40:36 Spending time outdoors is beneficial.

0:41:35 The name Mother Dirt is deliberate.

0:42:25 People who are forced to use sanitisation.

0:43:14 Certain situations require a sterile environment.

0:43:49 You can still benefit from AO Mist.

0:44:17 Hand sanitizer will wreck your hands.

0:45:15 The potential effect of the product on eczema.

0:45:44 Mother Dirt cannot make any claims before FDA approval.

0:46:13 Inflammatory skin disorders are the primary focus.

0:47:03 Where to find out more about AO Mist and the skin microbiome.

0:47:27 motherdirt.com

0:47:35 aobiome.com

0:48:08 Mother Dirt special offer.

0:48:23 AO+ Mist spray.

0:48:40 Discount code NBT25.

0:48:58 Code expires at the end of February.