3 diseases that cause the body to have an unpleasant odor

The smell of rotten fish, smelly feet, or boiled cabbage can be a sign of rare medical conditions that affect your health.

Many of us bathe regularly to eliminate body odor and prevent the spread of disease. However, despite thorough bathing, some people still exude an unpleasant “scent.”

Three medical conditions can affect overall health: trimethylaminuria, also known as “fish odor syndrome”; isovaleric acidemia, which causes a foot-like odor; and hypermethioninemia, which produces a boiled cabbage odor. The symptoms of these conditions can be very “pungent,” and sometimes extremely dangerous.

Trimethylaminuria - "Fish Odor Syndrome"

People with this condition are identified by a distinctive fishy odor. Their bodies are unable to break down the compound trimethylamine, which gives off the fishy odor. Normally, our bodies produce trimethylamine in the intestines, where bacteria excrete it, and it also helps us digest foods like eggs, liver, and fish.

Trimethylamine buildup in the body is not a problem, as it is converted into an odorless molecule by flavin-containing monooxygenase, a special enzyme in the liver. However, people with the disorder cannot metabolize the odorous compound because they have mutations in the gene that produces this enzyme.

Without a significant amount of the enzyme, trimethylamine builds up, with no other way to get out of the body’s fluids, including sweat, urine, and even breath. It’s best to avoid broccoli and Brussels sprouts so that less of the precursor is broken down into trimethylamine. Intravenous antibiotics can also help eliminate some of the bacteria that produce trimethylamine.

Isadaleric acidemia

This disease can cause significant brain damage, and even death, especially in young children. A genetic mutation results in a deficiency of the enzyme isovaleric-coenzyme dehydrogenase. This coenzyme helps break down the amino acid leucine, but without it, leucine can only be broken down partially. The remaining compound from this process, isovaleric acid, begins to build up. It smells like cheese, and it is also the substance that causes foot odor.

Three diseases that can cause unpleasant body odor, and foods that can help reduce body odor.

Although it is not clear why, accumulation of isovaleric acid can have serious effects on the central nervous system, and in large amounts it is toxic to nerve cells, and can lead to developmental delays. It causes difficulty digesting breast milk or formula, with symptoms appearing very soon after birth.

There is currently no cure for isovaleric acidemia, but some treatments such as avoiding foods rich in leucine and supplementing with other amino acids can help keep patients safe.

Hypermethionineemia

This condition occurs when there is too much of another amino acid – methionine. This is a rare amino acid that contains sulfur, and when methionine is not metabolized properly, it can lead to large amounts of dimethylsulfide, which smells like boiled cabbage. This can happen if you eat too much methionine, which is found in protein-rich foods, such as meat and cheese.

If inherited, the condition may result from a mutation in one of several genes responsible for making enzymes that help break down methionine. Without these enzymes, people sometimes have a cabbage-like odor in their sweat, breath, or urine. Not all people with the condition have symptoms; in fact, most have no symptoms at all.

In severe cases, the inability to produce the enzyme can lead to nerve problems and muscle weakness, along with other problems in the nervous system. Treatment also includes avoiding foods containing methionine and using supplements.

According to Dantri