TMAU

This is not really new information, but I've read enough of the posts here to think it needs to be repeated for newcomers. There is a physical condition called TMAU (trimethylaminuria). It can be either genetic (inborn) or acquired. The problem is that the body does not produce the proper digestive enzymes to break down odor-causing foods. It can cause a person to smell like fish, rotten fish, feces, or urine, depending on the foods eaten.

It is rare enough that many doctors may not diagnose it (especially since most of us bathe just before seeing the doctor). However, after reading the posts about it on the Internet, maybe it isn't as rare as it's supposed to be.

People with the condition can manage it by controlling their diet. There's also some who report success with chlorophyll tablets, activated charcoal tablets, zinc tablets, and/or kelp tablets.

There are medical tests for TMAU, so if you think you may have it, ask your doctor specifically to do the test.

There are other things that can cause strong Body Odor s, like infections, eating an unhealthy diet, some drugs, too much alcohol. I know a woman who has a dozen cats and she always smells like cats. I have a friend who noticed that when she cooks with garlic, her 5-year-old's feet stink.

Smell is partly an emotional perception. If you love cats, maybe cat odor doesn't smell bad to you. There are lots of people who have a weak (or no) sense of smell and people who aren't bothered by what other people think of as bad smells. I'm in my 60s, and I grew up around a lot of people who didn't bathe very often, and apparently BO didn't bother them. People are a lot more conscious of things like that now.

Best wishes to all. Tweet