Unraveling the Mysteries of Mischievous Microbiome

Science explains why some people smell worse than others despite keeping themselves squeaky clean.


  
The body is crawling with microbes that have evolved with the person, depending on the innate metabolism, history of infections, microbiome swaps, diet and lifestyle. The body's ecosystem of microorganisms can increase the risk for dangerous diseases for which we have unreserved levels of sympathy. It can also lead to ​unlikable conditions such as unpredictable and embarrassing outbursts of odor emitting through the pores - odor so bad it ruins social lives and careers.

Let those who never smelled bad cast the first stone

Analysis of our metabolism is crucial to comprehending the responses of our genes and microbes to the stresses of daily life, and to elucidating the causes and consequences of health and disease.

We applied metabolomic approach to an elusive condition that has always evaded diagnosis: socially and psychologically distressing odors that occur without a known or apparent cause. Learn about our preliminary results and participate in our anonymous survey to help us better understand and help with this condition.

Summary of MEBO discussion on May 7, 2017

In a Skype call held on May 7, 2017, by MEBO Research, moderated by María de la Torre, the main objective was to discuss strategies for managing body odor (associated with conditions such as TMAU or other metabolic disorders) through lifestyle and dietary changes.

Key points discussed:

Hormonal influence: The discussion covered how hormonal changes in adolescents (up to around age 21), women (during the menstrual cycle), and stressful situations (through adrenaline release) can influence or trigger odor symptoms (1:08–2:07; 14:31–15:24).

Diet and nutrition:

Natural, whole foods are preferable to processed foods in order to avoid unnecessary chemicals (3:33–4:05).

Foods high in sulfur (such as garlic and onions) should be limited or thoroughly cooked (for example, sautéed) so that odor-causing compounds evaporate before consumption (4:05–5:23).

It was emphasized that choline is an essential nutrient and should not be completely eliminated from the diet, as a deficiency can cause serious damage to the nervous system and increase anxiety (9:58–11:30).

Body detoxification process: It was explained that the body needs time to eliminate odor-causing chemicals that have accumulated in fatty tissues over the years. Drinking plenty of water and engaging in cardiovascular exercise can help speed up this process by mobilizing these compounds so they can be eliminated through sweat, urine, and breathing (5:26–7:43; 12:51–13:47).

Emotional well-being: The discussion addressed how social fear and anxiety about possibly smelling bad can create a vicious cycle that negatively affects psychological well-being (10:38–11:30).