‘Fish smell syndrome’ is a rare metabolic disease that causes the body to produce an excessive amount of a chemical with a strong fish smell.
A Trimetigaminus (TMAU), also known as ‘fish smell syndrome’ is a rare metabolic disease that makes a Fish smear person.
Patients with TMAU have this smell due to an accumulation of a chemical called Trimetilamina in your body.
As explained by trimethylamine is produced by bacteria in the intestine as a byproduct of digestion of certain foods, including eggs, liver, vegetables and specific types of seafood, such as fish, squids and crabs.
There is an enzyme in the body that is in charge of decomposing trimethylamine in an odorless chemical, which is then excreted through urine. This enzyme is encoded by a gene called FMO3.
However, In patients with TMAU, this enzymatic process does not occurand trimethylamine accumulates in the body and is released in excessive amounts in sweat, urine and sick breath-which makes them smell of fish.
Most cases of TMAU are caused by Mutations in the FMO3 gene that prevent the enzyme that it codes work properly. In these cases, patients inherit the disease if there are two copies of the mutated FMO3 gene – one of each parent – to develop the disease.
Other causes
More rarely, TMAU can be caused by the excessive consumption of foods that lead to trimethylamine production.
May also result from liver failure and certain medical treatmentssuch as testosterone replacement therapy, which affect the processing and production of trimethylamine, respectively.
The hormonal changes caused by the menstrual cycle They can also cause a transient form of TMAU.
Live Science also warns that the stress levels and diet From a patient may aggravate symptoms, increasing sweat production and trimethylamine levels, respectively.
TMAU symptoms may be present from birth or later in life, usually close to the beginning of puberty – when many hormonal changes occur.
The disease is more common in women than in men; and there is evidence that female sex hormones, such as progesteronethey can aggravate the symptoms of the sick.
TMAU is not mortal and No cure. Still, there are antibiotics to reduce the amount of bacteria in the intestines that metabolize trimethylamine.
But the best that patients can do is to have Watch out for hygiene.
