What are the symptoms of trimethylaminuria?
People with TMAU give off an unpleasant nauseating odor that people describe as smelling like rotten fish. The odor may be body odor, bad breath (halitosis) or strong-smelling pee.
Sometimes, people only notice TMAU symptoms when the person who has the condition sweats or is experiencing stress. But some people with trimethylaminuria carry such a strong scent that others notice the scent just from being in the same room, standing across a counter or sitting in the same section of a bus or train.
What causes TMAU?
Trimethylaminuria happens when something affects the FMO3 enzyme so it doesn’t work like it should. FMO3 stands for flavin-containing monooxygenase 3. This enzyme manages the impact that trimethylamine has on your body. Trimethylamine is a smelly chemical your body produces when you eat certain foods like fish, beans and eggs.
Normally, there’s a check-and-balance relationship between trimethylamine and FMO3: when your body produces trimethylamine, FMO3 enzymes break it down. That way, the chemical doesn’t smell bad when it moves from your digestive system into your bloodstream. When that doesn’t happen, trimethylamine builds up in your body, eventually seeping into your system so that your breath, sweat, saliva and pee smell like rotten fish.
People with primary trimethylaminuria develop the condition because they inherit abnormal FMO3 genes from both of their biological parents. In secondary TMAU, something keeps your FMO3 enzyme from breaking down trimethylamine. This can happen if:
- You have an illness, like liver failure or viral hepatitis, that keeps the enzyme from breaking down the trimethylamine.
- There’s an imbalance in your gut microbiome so there’s more trimethylamine in your system than the FMO3 enzymes can change into the non-smelly version of the chemical.
- You take choline or carnitine supplements. These nutrients play a role in producing trimethylamine.
What are complications of this condition?
Trimethylaminuria can damage your quality of life. Research shows people with the condition often avoid relationships, jobs and activities where others may notice the unpleasant smell that TMAU causes. People with this condition may develop mental health issues, including:
Rarely, people with TMAU have suicidal behavior, where they consider suicide.
FAQs
Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) is an uncommon condition that causes an unpleasant, fishy smell. It's also called "fish odour syndrome". Sometimes it's caused by faulty genes that a person inherits from their parents, but this isn't always the case. There's currently no cure, but there are things that can help.
What is the trigger for trimethylaminuria? ›
As excess trimethylamine is released in a person's sweat, urine, and breath, it causes the odor characteristic of trimethylaminuria. Researchers believe that stress and diet also play a role in triggering symptoms.
How to get rid of trimethylamine? ›
Dietary supplements such as activated charcoal and copper chlorophyllin can bind trimethylamine in the gut and hence reduce the amount available for absorption. The use of slightly acidic soaps and body lotions can convert trimethylamine on the skin into a less volatile form that can be removed by washing.
What can you eat if you have trimethylaminuria? ›
A low-choline diet that contains high-quality protein and adequate amounts of breads, fruits, and vegetables can be provided to individuals with trimethylaminuria.
Can trimethylaminuria go away on its own? ›
Trimethylaminuria is a chronic condition. There isn't a way to cure it and it doesn't go away on its own. But there are treatments and things you can do to reduce TMAU symptoms and the condition's impact on your life.
How do I get rid of the fishy smell when I pee? ›
What you can do. You can avoid foods known to cause fishy-smelling urine, but this can be difficult to do. Instead, make sure you drink plenty of water — especially when drinking caffeine — to help dilute the scent and stay hydrated.
Why can I smell myself through my pants? ›
Limiting frequent bathing can lead to dirt, sweat and dead skin cells build up leading to Your clothes have a strong smell. You can reduce these effects by showering regularly and washing with mild soap and warm water. Sweating in the groin area can attract fungi and bacteria that lead to bad odors.
When I open my legs, it smells fishy.? ›
“If you start to notice a fishy, rotten, or spoiled smell coming from between your legs, you should get checked out by a doctor,” Deysach says. Those scents are a sign of infection.
What foods produce trimethylamine? ›
Red meat, eggs, dairy products and salt-water fish are rich in choline, lecithin, and carnitine and, hence, are a potential source of TMAO. TMA is a gas which is oxygenated within living animals to form TMAO by flavin monooxygenases (FMO1 and FMO3) [11,12].
What vitamins are good for trimethylaminuria? ›
People with TMAU can receive an appropriate dietary treatment by excluding TMA precursors. Alternatively, dietary supplementation with riboflavin (vitamin B2, a cofactor required for the activity of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases [40]) reduces TMA excretion and body odor in some patients with TMAU [29].
When citric acid reacts with Trimethylamine, a weak base, they undergo a neutralization reaction, forming a salt that does not have the fishy odor. This reaction helps to neutralize the smell by breaking down the basic compound that causes the odor, effectively masking the fishiness.
Why does my bottom smell fishy? ›
Is a fishy smell from haemorrhoids normal? It could be a sign of a number of issues, but is more than likely piles related. The smell is most likely anal discharge from the rectum, produced by the mucus membrane, as opposed to the leaking of faecal matter (poo), due to loss of sphincter control.
Does trimethylamine have an odor? ›
Trimethylamine (TMA) is the simplest tertiary aliphatic amine. It's responsible for the pungent odor given off by fish and other marine and aquatic animals. It is also a degradation product of plants that have high nitrogen contents and a distillation product of sugarbeet residues.
Why do I smell bad even with good hygiene? ›
Body odor is caused by a mix of bacteria and sweat on your skin. Your body odor can change due to hormones, the food you eat, infection, medications or underlying conditions like diabetes. Prescription-strength antiperspirants or medications may help.
