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Fishy Smell from the Penis? A Rare Health Condition Could be the Cause

The first time a man unveils his penis for a new partner, he hopes to hear a gasp of pleasure, perhaps followed by words of appreciative sentiment. But if he instead hears a gasp for breath and sentiments along the lines of “Open the window, I need some air!” it’s quite likely he is the possessor of an extreme penis odor emergency. While practicing good penis health can help provide some rather quick relief from penis odor, in some cases the situation can be a bit trickier. One of those cases is when trimethylaminuria is a contributing factor to a fishy smell from the penis.

Facts about trimethylaminuria

Most people have never come across trimethylaminuria before, one reason being that it is thankfully a fairly rare condition. It also is found rather more often in women than in men, although there is some reason to believe that perhaps it is something that more women than men report. The reason for this belief in underreporting is that trimethylaminuria is caused by a genetic disorder, and it should occur equally in men and in women. Since it is more often associated with women than men, it may mean that it occurs among the genders equally but that perhaps men tend to report it only in its more extreme state. (To a degree, society tends to accept that men will tend to be somewhat “smellier” than women, after all.)

Also called “fish odor syndrome,” trimethylaminuria affects the body’s metabolism so that it has a hard time breaking down trimethylamine, which is a chemical that occurs in the digestive system when bacteria go to work on certain food products. When trimethylamine is properly broken down, it changes into another ingredient which doesn’t smell. But when it remains trimethylamine remains intact as it passes through the digestive process, it retains its strong and unpleasant odor. Eventually, it gets passed out of the body through sweat, saliva and urine. As the nickname implies, unprocessed trimethylamine has an aroma similar to that of dead fish.

Penis odor

Men with trimethylaminuria are often able to control the issue under their arms by the use of a strong antiperspirant and/or deodorant and/or cologne. But the sweat that pours forth around the penis is not generally an area where deodorant is used – thus its likelihood of emanating from the penis even if not from the rest of the body.

Men with a penis odor issue that is due to trimethylaminuria can take steps to counteract the problem. One thing which often works is to alter the diet so that there is lesser intact of certain foods, such as milk, eggs, beans, peanuts, seafood and shellfish, liver, and kidneys. In addition, maintaining very careful hygiene and washing the penis frequently (and changing underwear frequently) can help as well.

Some doctors recommend supplementation with charcoal and copper chlorophyllin, but this should be done under a doctor’s recommendation. In extreme cases, doctors may recommend antibiotics as a way to cut down on the body and penis odor.

Penis odor can be an issue for many men, whether they are born with trimethylaminuria or not. Those interested in combatting this embarrassing problem should make sure they regularly apply a top notch penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) . Fighting penis odor is more effective if the crème contains vitamin A. Also called retinol, vitamin A is known for its anti-aging properties (which helps keep penis skin youthful), but it also has anti-bacterial properties which help fight persistent penis odor. The crème should also include a potent antioxidant, such as alpha lipoic acid. By fighting the free radicals that can cause oxidative damage, alpha lipoic acid strengthens penis skin so that it can better ward off bacteria.

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