MEBO Research introduces new plasma methionine testing program in the UK

MEBO Research introduces
New Plasma Methionine Test Program in UK

MEBO Research is commencing plasma methionine testing in London with Clinical Biochemist, Nigel Manning, the only TMAU tester in the UK at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, and through Biolab Medical Unit.* MEBO UK's Scientific Director, Dr. Colin Harvey-Woodworth, BDS, is overseeing this testing program and conducting a study of the test results. Since currently trimethylaminuria (TMAU) is the only recognised and accepted type of systemic body odour, MEBO experts and sufferers alike believe there are other systemic odours that may stand alone or coexist with each other that are still yet to be discovered through research because the main complaint is of faecal body odour and faecal breath. As noted in MEBO’s website, it is MEBO Research's Mission to initiate formal scientific research into body malodour and halitosis conditions. In addition, MEBO pursues sufferer-driven exploratory studies from time to time in an attempt to identify new patterns in test results data to promote additional formal studies in an effort to discover new potential body odour conditions and their treatment.

Methionine plasma test application form

Quick notes on testing

• Initially, testing is open to UK residents and anyone who can attend Biolab London, due to sample handling.
• Test costs £60.
• Fill in requisition form and use PayPal button found after the survey to place order.
• Applicant will then be contacted by Biolab to arrange blood collection protocol.
• You can have sample drawn at Biolab Clinic in London.
• All other samples taken (eg by your Dr) are sent back to Biolab
• Sample is sent by Biolab to Sheffield Children's Hospital for analysis.

Biolab request that they are not sent emails.

Any questions on test should be to,
ukmethioninetest@meboresearch.org

On January 3rd, a post was written in this blog entitled, Methionine adenosyltransferase deficiency and body odour/halitosis. After reviewing scientific literature referenced below and after discussions with Nigel Manning, Dr. Colin Harvey-Woodworth and Biolab, it was determined that a possible candidate for exploratory study could be a test that measures the levels of plasma methionine. Nigel Manning kindly offered to make the methionine plasma test available to our group and Biolab will properly prepare samples, with Dr. Harvey-Woodworth overseeing the study, giving the result to the tester via email, and compiling data for future research.

MEBO Research’s hopes to identify new types of systemic body odours and halitosis conditions and to establish a list of disorders that began with the discovery of trimethylaminuria (TMAU).

In an attempt to determine whether hypermethioninaemia may be a contributing factor in some types of seemingly uncontrollable body odour and/or halitosis conditions, MEBO Research have commissioned this test to launch a preliminary data gathering effort that may either potentially rule out this theory or possibly support the initiation of future formal research. Since there is currently no funding for this exploratory testing, volunteer sufferers are given the opportunity to test for £60 plus return postage of the sample, when applicable, to Biolab in London.

MAT deficiency is step 1

Why methionine test ?
Hypermethioninaemia is a build up in the body of methionine, a sulphur-containing amino acid, usually due to a metabolising dysfunction. According to the Genetics Home Reference of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, “People with hypermethionine often do not show any symptoms. Some individuals with hypermethioninaemia exhibit intellectual disability and other neurological problems…and their breath, sweat, or urine may have a smell resembling boiled cabbage.” As we know from TMAU, the exact type of odour may vary in its presentation. Indeed, some TMAU experts believe there are coexistent problems that lead to the wide spectrum of presentation of the character of odour.
A study on hepatic methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) depicts the case of a 31 year old with MAT deficiency, whose case provides evidence that “partial MAT deficiency is a benign disorder and that chronic hypermethionine (less than 1 mM) is not by itself detrimental to health.” Although some body malodour and halitosis sufferers may have been diagnosed with neurological disorder, such as learning disabilities, epilepsy, mental illness, and others, not all sufferers manifest these symptoms other than body odour and/or halitosis. Some of the enzymes involved in the methionine metabolic cycle are thought to cause serious health problems, but perhaps these cases are only the more 'severe' ones.

It is believed that the byproduct of this inefficient metabolic process may be dimethylsulfide, which is said to have a 'boiled cabbage' odour. The reason for testing methionine and not dimethylsulfide is that the methionine test is commonly available, more economical, and methionine is the fulcrum of this metabolic cycle, and so may point out a few enzymes at fault. The cycle can be seen in the figure on the right.

The arrangement is :

1. Persons wishing to test fill out MEBO’s Requisition Form and Survey
2. Make payment of £60 to MEBO Research with the PayPal link that appears at the end of the survey form of the application.
3. Details are sent to Biolab who then contacts each applicant by email.
4. Arrange for blood sample to be obtained by either going to Biolab or make arrangements with phlebotomist, nurse, physician, or other qualified health professional following Biolab’s instructions).
5. Biolab prepares the samples (separation of plasma) and sends it to Nigel Manning at Sheffield Children's Hospital.
6. Confidential results and interpretation from the MEBO Research team will be emailed to the patient as soon as received from the lab.

Reference ranges :
Sheffield Children's Hospital sets the reference ranges, based on the few past medical papers on the subject. We have been told they will be adjusting these ranges as time goes by.
Initially, the range will be,

Methionine normal: 15 - 40 µmol/L
Currently Sheffield expect odour-related hypermethionine to be at over 300umol/L (subject to review)

Methionine plasma test application form

DISCLAIMER

• while the testing will be very accurate, the interpretation may be subjective at the moment, and this reflects how poorly understood this condition is.
• the programme may or may not bear significant results, there is no available epidemiological data on this condition.
• this is experimental research and results cannot be seen to carry any diagnostic weight on a case by case basis.
• MEBO Research’s hopes to identify new types of systemic body odours and halitosis conditions and to establish a list of disorders that began with the discovery of trimethylaminuria (TMAU).
• It is possible that those who have an ongoing odour problem, which has tested negative for TMAU may be suffering with as yet unidentified conditions.
• it is also possible that those with an existing diagnosis of TMAU may have coexisting conditions that are as yet unidentified.
• MEBO research will anonymously report a brief summary of the results of this study on the MEBO blog. No data that could personally identify participants will be published
• if this programme yields scientifically interesting results, MEBO may look to publishing this data and commissioning future research. Persons wishing to take part in this testing programme will not automatically be included in such a study, should MEBO choose to go down this path. Participants will have all information explained to them and will have the opportunity to consent or refuse to participate in due course.

MEBO research is a nonprofit organisation (soon to be charity) in the UK and a public charity in the US. We hold our reputation in the international community of sufferers of odour conditions very seriously. Much research has gone into proposing this as a possible explanation for many of the odour conditions that go undiagnosed. However, it may be that this theory is not supported with this and other future studies. We neither seek to mislead or to make profit with this venture, but to seek knowledge and understanding about the possibility of this being one of the causes of body odour and halitosis conditions. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our MEBO expert overseeing the project, Dr. Colin Harvey-Woodworth, email colin.harvey_woodworth@meboresearch.org, or email ukmethioninetest@meboresearch.org.

*About Biolab Medical Unit:
MEBO Research has worked with Biolab Medical Unit in the past with our Gut Dysbiosis Study. They are a lab situated in central London that specializes in biochemical tests related to environmental and nutritional. In this testing program, Biolab is the logistics go-between, by providing the test kit, handling the sampling, and sending them to Nigel Manning at Sheffield Children's Hospital. The staff would be happy to draw the blood at the lab at no additional charge to sufferers. All questions to do with this test are to be sent to ukmethioninetest@meboresearch.org or to any of our other meboresearch.org email addresses.

Further reading on hypermethionemia and odours :
1989 : [A case of intermittent hypermethioninaemia as the cause of disagreeable body odour]

1987 : Hepatic methionine adenosyltransferase deficiency in a 31-year-old man. A case of halitosis due to genetic hypermethionemia http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1684000/pdf/ajhg00137-0043.pdf.

1981 : hypermethioninaemia associated with methionine adenosyltransferase deficiency: clinical, morphologic, and biochemical observations on four patients. Isolated hypermethionemia in four normal babies.

2010 : Extra-oral halitosis: an overview. Bloodborne halitosis : a review. Full Text Sources: IOP Publishing Ltd.

2007: Intra- and extra-oral halitosis: finding of a new form of extra-oral blood-borne halitosis caused by dimethyl sulphide. DMS and H2S causing bloodborne halitosis.


Please note that Biolab has requested that no correspondence be sent directly to them.

María and The MEBO UK Team


María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

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maria.delatorre@meboresearch.org
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