Tag: Trimethylaminuria

While fishy body odor can sometimes be linked to certain medical conditions, it can also arise from taking common dietary supplements. This phenomenon is tied to a metabolic process involving gut bacteria and a specific enzyme, which can be affected by supplements containing compounds like choline and L-carnitine. Understanding what supplements cause fishy body odor is the first step toward managing this potentially embarrassing side effect.

According to a 2010 report in the *Annals of Internal Medicine*, doctors were surprised to learn that many diabetes patients stopped taking metformin because it smelled like 'dead fish'. For patients asking 'What drug has a fishy smell?', the answer is not always straightforward, and the odor can originate from the medication itself, the condition it treats, or other underlying metabolic issues.

The human genome encodes for five functional flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) enzymes, which play a significant role in the body's defense against potentially harmful foreign chemicals. These enzymes are primarily responsible for detoxifying and metabolizing a diverse range of drugs and xenobiotics, converting them into more water-soluble forms for excretion.