How Lying Can Change a Person’s Scent

Scientists have found that lying affects not only behavior and emotions, but also a person’s physiology, including their scent. In an experiment at the University of Notre Dame, about two hundred participants took part. One group was asked to consciously stick to the truth in all matters for several months. The other group continued their usual behavior without limiting themselves to lying. By the end of the study, participants in the second group reported more physical discomfort. They experienced sore throats, bad breath, and a general sense of malaise.

Researchers link these changes to the body’s response to chronic stress. Lying requires constant self-control, tension, and readiness to maintain a fabricated version of events. This state activates stress mechanisms, affecting salivary glands and the composition of oral bacteria. As a result, it can influence the scent a person emits.

Additional data came from neurophysiological studies at the University of Southern California. People who lie frequently showed structural differences in the brain. Areas responsible for complex mental operations and information processing were more developed. This helps in quickly creating excuses and logical constructions, but it also increases cognitive load. Constant mental effort of this kind heightens internal tension and further impacts physiological state.

Some researchers have noted an interesting detail. People prone to frequent lying sometimes emit a slightly sweet scent. On a surface level, it may seem attractive and pleasant, but on closer perception it can feel unnatural and unsettling. Scientists suggest this may be related to metabolic changes and alterations in microbiota under stress.

Overall, studies show that lying affects the body more deeply than commonly thought. It influences not only facial expressions and words, but also the body itself. Even subtle signals, such as scent, can become indicators of internal tension and insincerity.