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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Weird Fish Body Odor, What Could It Be Symptoms Of ?

Hello Doctors I have never had a problem with body odor but for the past two days I have noticed that my co workers are saying that I am putting off a fishy odor I am regularly showering and doing basic hygiene remediesdeodorant etc and have had no changes in my diet I am a male in his mid twenties and I find this extremely uncommon The part that boggles me the most is that I cant smell it at all Is that possible and what could it be symptoms of ?
Tue, 16 Aug 2011
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  User's Response
hi, welcome to HCM
since you got this fishy odor from past 2 days so there must be some kind of different food intake you must had like eggs, fish, liver and legumes which contains choline in it.Some individuals cannot metabolize foods containing large amounts of choline so the result is a "fishy" smell. better you cut out these products and see if this is the cause of your odor. Certain foods and drinks, such as onions, garlic, curry, certain spicy foods, coffee and alcohol can also lead to it.
General & Family Physician Dr. Tina Jacob Das's  Response
Hello Mathew
Welcome to HealthcareMagic.I truly understand your worry, it is indeed very unpleasant when people around you come up with such things about you. Common causes of bad odour is having a fungal infections, certain deficiencies like zinc, vitamin C,scurvy. Any gastrointestinal abnormality, if you are on certain strong medications. Certain infections like typhoid, urinary tract infection also might give a bad body odour. Again it is also dependant on your food habit-like too much of garlic intake.Now if you strongly feel, that you do have a price fishy odour, then it is though not very common, seen in a metabolic disorder called Trimethylaminuria.It is an enzyme defect, which leads to accumulation of trimethlalamine and released through sweat, urine, breath, and other genital secretions, which gives this typical fishy odour.But before drawing conclusions, you need to consult a physician, discuss your complaints, well in detail, so that he guides you in proper way, about the line of investigations you need to undergo.So i suggest you to visit a physician soon.Take care.
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Weird Fish Body Odor, What Could It Be Symptoms Of ?

hi, welcome to HCM since you got this fishy odor from past 2 days so there must be some kind of different food intake you must had like eggs, fish, liver and legumes which contains choline in it.Some individuals cannot metabolize foods containing large amounts of choline so the result is a fishy smell. better you cut out these products and see if this is the cause of your odor. Certain foods and drinks, such as onions, garlic, curry, certain spicy foods, coffee and alcohol can also lead to it.