Hormonal influence on olfactory acuity as well as body and breath odor

An article written by the Food Neurochemistry Lab at the University of Panama, The amelioration of olfactory acuity upon sexual maturation might affect food preferences, raises an interesting point about olfactory acuity in women improving as one matures sexually (15-44 year-old women). Even more interesting, it discusses how the olfactory acuity seems to fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, “During ovulation, mean olfactory threshold is 30 times lower than during bleeding.”

During ovulation, mean olfactory threshold is 30 times lower than during bleeding. Interestingly, menstruated women undergo maleodorant trimethylaminuria. We argued that olfactory amelioration during ovulation might concur to a mating strategy, whereas olfactory impairment during bleeding might protect women against self-refusal.

The explanation given seems to be more focused on testosterone levels, as opposed to estrogen levels in women, as the testosterone derivative “might be responsible for the synchronization of these menstrual events.”

One of MEBO’s Scientific Advisors and pioneer in the science of TMAU, Dr. John Cashman of HBRI and Professor Yamazaki, et al., have published a paper, Transient trimethylaminuria related to menstruation (2007), in which they conclude,

…these results indicate that abnormal FMO3 capacity is caused by menstruation particularly in the presence, in homozygous form, of mild genetic variants such as [Glu158Lys; Glu308Gly] that cause a reduced FMO3 function.

there seems to be a parallel pattern between increased olfactory acuity and transient TMAU in sufferersAs a community of body odor and halitosis sufferers, we consequently raise the following questions as to whether a similar effect of hormonal changes hold true in relation with body and breath odor conditions. Based on these papers, there seems to be a parallel pattern between levels of olfactory acuity and transient TMAU in sufferers.

The figures used in this article present a

Hypothetical view of the multiple physiological processes concurring to modulate olfaction and liver FMO3 enzyme activity i women during menses. (CYP19A1 = Aromatase enzyme; Estradiol = 17β-Estradiol; TMA = Trimethylamine; TMAO = Trimethylamine oxide; FMO3 = Flavin mono-oxygenase 3; DA interneurons = Dopaminergic neurons; hPR = Progesterone receptor).

See other posts in this blog under the label "hormones" (and scroll down to see them all) related to the effects of hormonal changes body/breath odor.

María

María de la Torre
Founder and Executive Director

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