Your body odor is linked to the hot flashes you experience. They occur when your internal heating system goes into overdrive. During perimenopause (which is the time around menopause), depleting estrogen levels trick the hypothalamus (the part of your brain that regulates body temperature) into producing more sweat.
Since you are sweating more than you normally would, the bacteria on your skin produces odor when it comes into contact with sweat. Bacteria also feeds on the protein in your sweat that causes odor in our mouth, groin, armpit, and foot. Even though you might smell more, there is a chance that you are smelling something no one around you can smell. Studies have shown that your sense of smell is increased during menopause, so keep calm because it could just be your paranoia talking to you.