HBRI doing TMAU urine (phenotype) testing again

The HBRI website says that it is accepting urine samples for TMAU phenotype testing again. This has been confirmed by email. HBRI is the institute of Dr John Cashman, who has a long history in TMAU/FMO3 research.

They test for trimethylamine-oxide in the urine, as well as trimethylamine. The test is conducted in-house and the cost is $400. A sample must be sent frozen overnight.

This means there are now 3 known TMAU urine testing sites in the USA ; HBRI in San Diego, UC Denver, and Arkansas Children's Hospital.

UC Denver and HBRI both test for TMA and TMA-oxide in their urine test, with Denver costing $250 and HBRI costing $400. But with HBRI, you can test direct without the need for a Dr requesting the test.

We keep a note of all the known TMAU test labs in the world on our MeBO TMAU page :

Known trimethylaminuria test labs

Chicago Meetup 2010 at the Chicago Art Institute

All are invited to the Chicago meetup!



It will be held at the Art Institute at 2:00pm on Sunday, May 2, 2010.
Contact person: Paula/shymonie (send a private message on the Body Odor Support Forum)

So far, we have approximately 9 people saying they want to attend. In addition to the wonderful experience of meeting each other in these occasions, one can enjoy the beautiful art that surrounds us in this spectacular museum. Amongst other works housed in this place, the current exhibitions are,

Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917

William Eggleston, Democratic Camera, Photographs and Video, 1961-2008

This is a perfect opportunity to bond with people who share similar experiences, and to see what management protocol has worked for some and which have not.

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Genetics of Hyperhidrosis Study

This blog and MeBO are generally aimed at learning about systemic body odor and halitosis, but if we hear of any interesting news about bromhidrosis, we are happy to post it.

Whilst hyperhidrosis itself does not mean the person will be prone to bromhidrosis, some feel that hyperhydrosis naturally leads to their bromhidrosis problem.

In this months NORD newsletter, they have written that the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center is conducting research to see if it may be a genetic disorder :

Genetics of Hyperhidrosis Study

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center are seeking individuals affected with hyperhydrosis to determine if the condition is inherited and if so, to identify the responsible gene(s). Identification of the responsible gene may help to determine the underlying cause of hyperhidrosis and be used to develop an effective therapy or even a cure. Study participants are asked to sign HIPAA and informed consent forms, complete a medical and family history form, and submit a sample of their buccal cells. This is accomplished by rinsing the mouth with mouthwash and spitting into a small container. No travel is required and there is no cost to participants. Kits are sent through the mail and a stamped, self addressed envelope is provided for study materials to be returned. For more information contact Betsy K. Vibert, MS, CGC at 877-444-2525 (toll free) or 718-430-3739.

MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study : Brief summary of results so far

This is a brief look at the results so far in the MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study, looking at certain biomarkers in volunteers who feel they have a systemic body odor or halitosis problem. The main trend is that 5 out of 7 were higher than normal for ethanol, which in the test is thought to be produced by yeast fermentation in the small intestine. We are told by Biolab that the highest results for abnormal ethanol in their history is around 180-200. An average abnormal is around 80. As can be seen of our group, 2 of the testers were considerably high for ethanol. Gut permeability (a high result means 'leaky gut') did not seem to be as common or bad as expected overall. Only 2 were positive for indicans, and only 1 person for d-lactate (quite severely). Tester 5 was deficient for B2, which is a cofactor in FMO3 function. We have added this test since then to the study

An 8th person is currently testing, with a couple more showing an interest. We hope to get to around 15 volunteers minimum, and thank all volunteers for paying for their own tests and being part of the study.

tester	gut fermentation	comments	gut permeability	comments	indicans	d-lactate under60	b2 (normal 1.2 - 1.3)	TMAU test
1	ethanol not detected	normal	normal	slight underpermeability	normal	normal	not done	normal
2	ethanol 140 (under22 normal)	high ethanol	increase 374-506	slight increase between 374-506	normal	156 very high	not done	normal
3	ethanol 66	mild high ethanol	raised after 374	slightly raised after 374 onwards	positive	2 (normal)	not done	not tested
4	ethanol 4	normal	high between 330-550	quite a big rise	normal	normal	not done	not tested
5	ethanol 134	high ethanol	normal	normal but rising at the end	normal	2 (normal)	1.81 (deficient)	normal
6	ethanol 22	borderline raised ethanol	increased at 242	very strange high peak at 242	negative	8 (normal)	not done	not tested
7	ethanol 69	mild high ethanol	normal		positive	not done	not done	not tested

Anyone who feels they have a systemic body odor or systemic sourced halitosis problem are our main target as volunteers for the study. The 5 tests would cost £170 in total. Anyone who would like to test can fill in the brief survey to join if they wish. The intention is to kickstart exploration of systemic body odors and halitosis via biomarker testing, in this case looking at a few gut dysbiosis markers. In the end, an abnormal result does not mean it is responsible for your problem, only that it may be a factor to consider :
MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis questionaire

Tester 7 : MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study

We are happy to announce the results of Tester 7 in our MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study. This one is particularly interesting since the volunteer is from the other side of the world (Philippines). We were not sure if it would be possible for her to test, but after consultation with Biolab it was decided that there would likely be a big enough time window for the samples to be transported without deterioration apart from the d-lactate test.

The study is an unofficial one looking at a few various biomarkers of 'gut dysbiosis'. It is not conclusive, but rather just to look at a few biomarkers to see if there is any pattern. Of particular interest is the gut fermentation test since it tests for ethanol, in this case a by-product of yeast fermentation in the small intestine; and also gut permeability, which checks for 'leaky gut' as well as under-absorption. So it does seem possible people can test ok from overseas, providing shipping is relatively speedy, and drawing blood is possible (i.e. phlebotomy). We have also added the vitamin B2 blood test to our list of tests, since B2 is a co-vitamin in proper FMO3 function.

Results	Tester 7
Female	mid 40's
Odor problem:	Halitosis (systemic sourced) for 5 years. Rotten & chemical smells
Gut problems	Used to have IBS but was corrected by probiotics. Feels that probiotics help.
Other comments	Has a hard time digesting vegetables. Sometimes craves simple carbohydrates and feels that sulfur foods and stress provoke the problem
Trimethylaminuria	not tested
Results :	Tester 7
Gut Fermentation	Ethanol is 'mildly' raised at 69 (under 22 is normal).
Gut permeability	Normal
Indicans	Positive

Notes on results :

The tester seems to have an issue with yeast overgrowth in the small intestine (the test is specially timed to check for alcohols and fatty acids produced in the small intestine) and also was positive for the indicans test, which implies a possible problem with gut bacteria feeding off protein. The 'ethanol/yeast' result is quite common amongst our testers so far, often being the 'dysbiosis' marker in the group of tests to show positive.

Thanks again to all the participants. Anyone wishing to participate would need to pay their own test costs (£170 for all tests). You can join the study by filling out the gut dysbiosis questionaire
Whilst the results should not be considered conlcusively proving anything, it's seen as a starting point in using tests to see what is going on in the body, and perhaps a pattern will show up that would be worth considering further. It is suggested that anyone who feels they have a systemic body odor problem should also test for TMAU, although we cannot arrange that. Anyone who has tested for TMAU is also welcome to participate in the study. We hope to get around 15 testers at least. Currently tester 8 is testing.

TMAU case on BBC TV tonight

A TMAU case was on the BBC 'One Show' this evening. This programme can attract around 7 million viewers. Thank you Gary for appearing.

Hello to BBC One Show viewers interested in trimethylaminuria

Hello to everyone who watched the trimethylaminuria case on the BBC 1 'One Show' tonight. You will be glad to know you are not alone, and in fact the problem of systemic body odors is probably quite common. This is an introductory post to give you some reference links for British visitors :

An interview with Dr Robin Lachmann of the London Adult Metabolism Unit about TMAU
An interview with Nigel Manning, the only clinical tester of TMAU in the UK
You can test for free through your GP, or test for around £193 via mullhaven lab

Information on TMAU :
Basic TMAU information
more tmau information

Forums :
The tmau.org.uk website and forum (British orientated. The person on the TV show posts here)
The yahoo International TMAU forum
bodyodorsupport.com

UK body odor/halitosis meetup this May in London

Trimethylaminuria story on BBC TV this Friday Evening

Mr L in the UK is already safely assured a place in the Body Odor Hall of Fame, for allowing 'Chat' Magazine to publish his story about life with trimethylaminuria, which we recently posted here ... trimethylaminuria story in Chat magazine

Now he is going for superstar status by appearing in the highly popular BBC 1 programme; The One Show, this Friday. He says on the tmau.org.uk forum that he and his wife will appear in the health section, with footage including Dr Robin Lachmann of the London Adult Metabolic Unit. This programme can get between 5-7 million viewers.

Once again Mr L we are forever grateful to you and in your debt. The Hall of Fame awaits you.

Trimethylaminuria case
The One Show
BBC 1
7pm
This Friday

Menstruation and transient trimethylaminuria

2007 medical paper: Transient trimethylaminuria related to menstruation

graph of the TMAU results in this study

Very few researchers have been interested in Trimethylaminuria, and very few papers published, especially over the last few years, since the genetic coding of FMO3 was discovered and then interest waned.

Probably 2 with the most interest would be Dr John Cashman in San Diego (HBRI) and The Laboratory of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Showa Pharmaceutical University, led by Professor Yamazaki. The Japanese professor keeps a website on TMAU and seems to keep an interest in the subject.

In 2007, the 2 Dr's colluded to follow 5 cases of females who had compromised FMO3 function to varying degrees, and test their urine over 120 days to follow the result pattern, particularly to see how menstruation affected FMO3 function. Interestingly, only 2 of the cases are regarded as being 'TMAU' positive. The other 3 are regarded as normal (not having 2 mutant copies of FMO3), and yet all of them had lowered FMO3 function during menstruation.

Case A would be regarded as a 'true' textbook TMAU case, 2 mutant copies, and over the 120 days her FMO3 function was indeed very low over the whole period (under 50%), especially during menstruation.

Case B was homozygous for 1 common 'polymorphism', which are regarded as far less serious 'mutants' than real mutant DNA copies. Her FMO3 function was generally around 90% except during menstruation when it could dip to almost 0%

Case C was heterozygous for 2 common polymorphisms, and her FMO3 function was normal except around menses when it could reduce to around 60% function.

Case D & Case E were homozygous for wild FMO3, and also had normal function, but with a decrease in function to around 60-80% function around menses.

The conclusion seems to be that any female harboring 2 copies of any type of FMO3 enzyme known to not be 'perfect', whether 2 mutant copies, 2 polymorphism copies, or 2 wild types, may be prone to decreased FMO3 function around menstruation. It would be interesting to see how a female with one mutant copy would get on, or to a lesser extent, a female with one copy of a polymorphism or a wild type, to see if they were also at risk.

Looking at the TMA levels alone (not the TMA-oxide levels), the numbers aren't given, but it looks as if case A was always above 10.5 mmol, which is generally around the level accepted where TMA smells may become an issue. Case A seems to always be above 10.5, whereas the other 4 only seem to be above 10 around menstruation. It would be interesting to know why the TMA levels rise in the case of B,C,D and E. It is as if FMO3 plays some role in containing the bacteria causing TMA.

rrr-tmau.org fundraising reaches $16K : $14K to go

Regular readers will know that a few trimethylaminuria friends; Cheryl, Amanda and Joel ; have set up a website and fundraising campaign to get the NORD TMAU Fund to the 'activation' target of $30,000. Once the target is reached, requests are put out for TMAU research.

Their rrr-tmau campaign began last October, and with your help they have reached a new total of...

$ 16,312

Well done everyone. This is over $2K this month !! They have a special '$1 a day' initiative planned for May, and also you can contribute as much as you wish for the purpose of TMAU research.

Cheryl posted the monthly rrr-TMAU fund update in the yahoo TMAU Forum.

links :
rrr-tmau.org website
National Organization for Rare Disorders Research Grant Program

Trimethylaminuria case in Chat magazine this week (UK)

An article about trimethylaminuria appeared in the issue dated 15th April, of a UK magazine called Chat magazine. Since today is the day of the 22nd April issue, we are posting the TMAU article now, for everyone to read.

Thank you to Mr L (aged 55), who kindly contacted the magazine about his body odor problem to raise awareness.

Windows down, air fresheners on ...

I'd been getting lifts from my workmate for weeks. But suddenly he seemed to be fumigating the car !
"You're saying I smell mate ?" I asked, lightheartedly. Fair enough. An electrician, I did get quite sweaty.
"No not like that..." he started. "Like rotting fish."
"I'll stay away from the chippy!" I joked. But I was horrified.
"I stink," I groaned to my wife, Elaine, when I got home.
"Don't be silly," she reassured me.
But the next few weeks I noticed people wrinkling their noses. So I asked a few what was wrong.
"You smell like burnt rubber," one said.
Dustbins, drains and doggy do-dos were also mentioned!
Eventually, I went to the doctor, but he dismissed it. Yet still it went on. People on the bus edged away, mates told me I needed a wash. But it made no difference. Showering twice a day, putting on aftershave, constantly changing clothes - the wafts still followed me. I returned to the doctor. But again he shoo-ed me away. So years passed. And it got worse. And worse.
I'd always been outgoing. Now I stopped socialising, hated even going to the shops. I'd become a prisoner in my own home ... I felt people outside were sniffing. Was the pong so bad it was going through the walls ..?
Weirdly though, me, Elaine, and my close friends couldn't smell me. Our noses had become accustomed!.
For 12 years, life was still a humiliating nightmare.
Until finally, 3 years ago, when I changed doctors and he referred me to a specialist ...
"Trimethylaminuria", the specialist confirmed last September.
It was a metabolic condition where someone can't break down trimethylamine, a chemical which is in some foods. Instead, it stays in their blood and causes a stinky fishy odour.
And there was no reason why it'd come on...
And although there's no cure, it wasn't all bad news...
"You can mange it," the specialist explained.
I avoid foods with high triemthylamine levels, like eggs, liver, peanuts and seafood.
Also, I take charcoal tablets, which are smell filters.
It has made some difference, but not enough. I'm still paranoid and embarrassed.
I guess this really isn't a condition to be sniffed at!

Note
The main foods to avoid are :
Those that contain trimethylamine ot its oxide (many seafoods)
Foods that contain choline (the gut bacteria change this to trimethylamine)
Foods that contain Carnitine
Foods that inhibit FMO3 enzyme : e.g. indoles in vegetables

For more general information on trimethylaminuria, see the MeBO Research TMAU page

Differences between Trimethylaminuria urine testing at Arkansas CH and UC Denver

Currently the only known Trimethylaminuria urine testing labs in the USA are :

Arkansas Children's Hospital, Metabolic Genetics Laboratory
University of Colorado Denver, Biochemical Genetics Lab

At this stage in the evolution of TMAU testing, there seems to be no agreed standard, and each testing lab sets their own testing procedures and reference range. This post attempts to clarify the differences between the 2 labs known to be TMAU testing in the USA.

The main differences seem to be :

Arkansas only tests for Trimethylamine levels, and is much cheaper (around $130)
Denver tests for trimethylamine and trimethylamine-oxide, but is dearer (around $250)

Since TMA-oxide is the final metabolized product of normal FMO3 function, it would seem best to test for TMA-oxide as well as a defining test. TMA-oxide gives you an idea of how well your FMO3 enzyme dealt with the TMA load, and therefore gives an indication as to the % function of the enzyme. It is not possible to get an idea if you have a genetically poor functioning FMO3 enzyme without testing TMA-oxide levels.

Apparently, The 2 labs also use different equipment for the TMAU urine test, although probably both are reliable.

Probably a best idea would be to use the Denver lab as a first choice, and perhaps use the Arkansas lab for monitoring TMA levels if price is a factor.

USA TMAU urine test labs	Arkansas Children's Hospital	University of Colorado, Denver
lab name	Metabolic Genetics Laboratory	Biochemical Genetics Laboratory
Official information	ACH TMAU test requisition form (PDF) Lab webpage	Lab webpage

References:
More contact details for TMAU testing labs

Personal testimony of various odor types and triggers

One of the sufferers in our community has done a great job describing the various types of odors he suffers from, which he breaks down into two categories, systemic and secondary sourced. He has also categorized them on a scale from 1 to 10 for us to better note their intensity. In addition, he attempts to trace them back to food and medications he's consumed in an effort to make sense of their origin.

Of course, this is his own personal perception of his problem and not a professional diagnosis. Nonetheless, I believe that it is important to include in this blog a sufferer's point of view about his/her own condition, as most of the posts are geared toward the experts' opinions. After all, the purpose of this blog is to bring sufferers and experts together.

He has graciously given us permission to post this information in this blog in an effort to bear witness and to promote research. Our gratitude and best wishes goes out to him.

...For me, there are a few types of odors.[emitted from my body]

One of the odors I can smell strongly is a gas odor (like a fart) that comes out of my breath when I talk, and up out of my nose when I swallow. People also comment when I can smell it. I can control this odor by avoiding the triggers.

The triggers are:
Alcohol - 10 (very positive, have noticed every time)
Trazodone - 10 (on one occasion, I will have to test again)
Soy Sauce - 5 (very certain)
Salsa - 5 (very certain)
Pickles - 3 (not certain)

There is another type of odor that I can control. It is flatulence odor, and it can become very strong. It smells exactly like propane and sometimes garbage, and Ive also had a friend confirm this. The odor is so strong that it sticks to my pants or a chair for longer than 24 hours, yet there is no leakage of feces.

Triggers:
Sugars and Wheat 1-10. I am not sure if it is just one of them, or both. Whenever I try to gain weight, and eat a whole bunch of cookies or cakes consistently over a week, I eventually get this very very strong gas.
Sweets also give me a terrible tasting post nasal drip over time. And I also get a primary moldy/fungal type of smell in the nose (you know, like a vinegar, or foot type of smell).

So I wonder if a secondary odor I smell is coming from my nose.

This secondary odor I experience smells like clay and poop I guess. People tell me they smell something weird with this one, but when they say that, I can't always smell it. The secondary odor doesn't seem to be coming from any body part. I can smell it in the air around me, but I cannot smell it from my armpits, or skin, or if I wipe my anal area with tissues there is no smell. I can also not smell it the same as I smell the fungal type of smell in my nose. Also at times I get stronger scents of it, and other times not. Nothing I eat seems to affect or change it. Even on the low choline diet for 2 months, I can still smell it. It is possible that smoking is the cause of this. I have quit, and I may have noticed an improvement, but I am totally unsure. It has been about 4 weeks since I've quit, but Ive had about 2 cigarettes on occasion during this time. So if that is a cause, it may need more time.

One time, when I washed out my nose with a sinus flush, my friend said "it smells like poop in here". So it could also be something fungal in the nose.

The problem is, Ive been to two ENTs twice each, and had CT scan and they found nothing. But one of the ENTs told me, they still don't know anything about odors because there is no research. I haven't noticed this type of odor until recently (past 2-3 months), so I would like to see if it goes away with the Flip Turn sinus rinse, as people who have had this odor problem on other boards have gotten rid of it with this method.

Trimethylaminuria case in Chat magazine this week (UK)

Chat magazine is a weekly women's magazine in the UK. This week's copy (8th-15th) has an article on someone with trimethylaminuria, thanks to a brave volunteer contacting the magazine and appearing in it. We are most grateful to them for helping all of us in raising awareness.

The article is on page 22 of the 15 April issue (already available)

Hand-held VOC P.I.D. detector for detecting body odor chemicals

A main problem with systemic body odor in particular, is the inability for the sufferer to smell themselves, and likewise with any 'loved ones' of the sufferer. The reason for this selective anosmia is currently unknown. Because of this, since most systemic body odor cases are likely to be transient, being able to monitor the smells would be very useful. Particularly in finding out which chemicals are responsible for the smells (e.g. trimethylamine).

There will be no specific detector on the market for detecting body odors, under the premise (probably wrongly) that there is not a market for it. For possible experimental alternatives, we are looking at other detectors on the market for certain industries.

A methane detector

At the moment our assumption is something like a Volatile Organic Compound Photo Ionization Detector, such as made by Rae Systems. In our case, perhaps a detector that can sense chemicals in parts per billions would be most suited. At the moment the most suitable portable VOC PID would seem to be one like the ppbRae 3000, which retails at around $6000. It can be rented out, probably at around $300 a week.

Maybe someday we can rent such a detector, for say a meetup, or to study someone over a week. We must assume the detector may not be sensitive enough for such a use, but be hopeful that it is.

MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study : Tester 6 results

As part of MeBO Research's mission to proactively investigate systemic body odors, it was decided to do a small study looking at some markers of gut dysbiosis to see if there was any pattern, with the participants kindly paying for their own tests. So far it does look as if a sign of gut yeast infection and increased gut permeability to varying degrees are relatively common, although nothing conclusive can be said. While the study is not logistically reliable (for instance, we cannot be sure if each person has the same cause of their body odor), it is seen as a starting point in getting the community to proactively use testing to get answers.

Here are the results of tester 6.

	Tester 6
Male	early 30's
Odor problem:	Systemic body odor for over 10 years. Ammonia/fecal smell
Gut problems	Bloating, Constipation, GERD/reflux/ heartburn, Stomach or lower abdominal pain. Craves carbohydrates
Other comments	It's worse when raining, with stomach pain, alcohol, less than eight hours sleep a lot worse
Trimethylaminuria	not tested
Results :	Tester 6
Gut Fermentation	Ethanol is mildly raised at 22 (under 22 is normal).
Gut permeability	raised at 242 molecular weight, which is unusual
Indicans D-lactate	Negative 8 (normal is below 60)

Anyone wishing to participate in the study can do so by filling out the MeBO-Biolab systemic body odor and gut dysbiosis questionaire. The cost for all tests including B2, which has been added) would be £170.

Samples of BO/Halitosis products donated to the Nashville Meetup

Prior to the Nashville Meetup, I had written to various manufacturers of body odor/halitosis products asking them for samples that we could pass out in the meetup. Some manufacturers offered to send them asking that we give them feedback on their product. MeBO Research is not endorsing any product in particular; we are actually interested in seeing whether they do help with BO/halitosis, and would like to receive feedback from anyone who has ever tried any of these products.

I would like to ask anyone who has ever tried any of these products to please give us feedback so that I can forward them to the manufacturers.

To be fair and to be helpful to others who may want to try these products, it would be helpful to note whether they have been tried when the odor was totally out of control, intermittent, or pretty much controlled. Many of us are aware of the fact that there may frequently be multiple factors producing our odor, including metabolic odors. However, these products target non-metabolic causes that may also be contributing to our odor. The effectiveness (or the lack thereof) of the intended effects of these products is the feedback we’re looking for.

Here’s a list of products:

1. Jarrow Formulas Enhanced Probiotic System, Jarro-Dophilus EPS: This manufacturer sent us so many samples, that the person from London took some of the samples to pass out to those attending the meetup in May in London in a sign of solidarity from the US.
2. Garden of Life Probiotic Smile: Probiotic Mints for Complete Oral Care and Beautiful Smile: Each box comes with 60 chewable probiotic mints.
3. Dr. Mist Body Hygiene Deodorant Spray: (I saw some meetup attendees using this right away during the meetup)
4. Orabrush Tongue Cleaner: A tongue cleaner that has a brush at the tip mailed to us from Dr. Robert Wagstaff.
5. Handouts given out during the meetup, see following links:

• TMAU - diagnostic testing at Sheffield Children's Hospital
• Handout on Halitosis, Genetics, Hyperhidrosis, Bromhidrosis, and Foot Odor websites, professional journals and organizations
• Handout on Service Dog Program

A folder with information and brochures was available for viewing on the Florida International University's Community Development Law Clinic that is offering MEBO Research legal services to register initially as a Company in the United States, and in August as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

My personal feedback on the sample products:

Jarrow Formulas Enahnced Probiotic System, Jarro-Dophilus EPS:

My son has been using this product for the past 2 years as part of his whole TMAU odor-management protocol with great success. For the first time in his life, his abdomen is no longer distended and tender, and during these two years, his odor has been gradually and now completely controlled. My other son and I use it periodically whenever our odor increases or when we've eaten the wrong foods, and it has always helped. I have tried other brands of probiotics and some have caused bloating and made me gassy, and I always end up coming back to this brand.

I must say that Jarrow gave us a very large amount of samples, and after all of us had a substantial amount to try to for some time, I gave our London attendee some samples to share with our British friends in their next meetup in May in a sign of solidarity. We'll see how they like this product.

Garden of Life Probiotic Smile:

For the first ever, me and my sons used this AND HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH IT! It's important to note that it will not do a thing for alveolar breath, so if we've broken our diet and the breath is bad, it won't work miracles. However, if our odor is somewhat controlled, and we eat a meal that may have a bit of a strong odor (full of spices, of sulfur based foods), then the probiotic mint helps. It's also a confidence builder because it really does have a minty fresh feel and taste to it.

The Orabrush tongue tongue cleaner was a very popular item in the meetup, and in the end, there was none left for me, but that's alright. I'm glad everyone got one, and I hope it helps them. Please give me feedback on this product if you've tried it so that I can pass it on to the manufacturer.

The same happened with Dr. Mist Body Hygiene Deodorant Spray...I never got one. So, feedback on this product would also be appreciated.

I am looking forward to getting feedback from everyone who has ever tried any of these products. You may email me with your comments at maria.delatorre@meboresearch.com . I will forward your comment with a pseudonym if you prefer anonymity.

María

As you can imagine, there were no products left over.

MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study : tester 5 organic acid result back

Tester 5 was our 'thorough' tester, who did a greater number of tests than the standard MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study, in the hope of shining some more light on the problem of systemic body odors. Her full list of results can be seen in a previous post.

It took longer than anticipated to get her organic acid test result back, but it seems to show no obvious issues. The organic acid test chosen was not as thorough as we would have liked, but factors such as cost and accessibility played a big part. Our ideal starting point for testing would be a urine test looking for 'malodorous volatile organic compounds', but we have not found a source for this test. Also a DNA test of all the xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (including FMO3) would seem appropriate, but this would be quite expensive.

The test included 3-hydroxy-isovaleric acid, which can be an indicator for biotin deficiency and has been reported as being high in systemic body odor cases anecdotally.



Anyone wishing to participate in the MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study can do so by filling out the questionaire. It would cost you £170 to do all 5 tests. The tests chosen were to look at certain gut dysbiosis markers, as well as Vitamin B2 levels (B2 is a cofactor in proper FMO3 function). The tests should be seen as a starting point in looking for answers to systemic body odors. Of particular interest is the 'ethanol' test, which is regarded as a test of yeast gut overgrowth. So far, quite a few of our testers have been positive for this.