AI meets MEBO

After a bit of a break since our first podcast back in March, we’re excited to return with a brand new episode for the MEBO and PATM community.

In this video, we’re exploring a big question: Can patients themselves use AI to help uncover potential causes, connections, and treatments for their symptoms?

The episode was generated by NotebookLM, based on our own research and the outputs of multiple large language models answering real questions from patients and researchers about these conditions. It’s a very good discussion overall - balanced, empathetic, and realistic about the challenges - but there are a few small hiccups.

For example, the video says that the paper "Cutaneous Bacteria in the Gut Microbiome as Biomarkers of Systemic Malodor and People Are Allergic to Me (PATM) Conditions" was published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in 2022. In fact, it appeared in JMIR Dermatology, a peer-reviewed journal, but one that isn’t indexed in PubMed - so it often doesn’t register in medical literature searches. Interestingly, when we asked half a dozen more LLMs about this paper, none knew much about it. Some even called it “groundbreaking” or “a beacon” without actually having the details, and a few hallucinated links that don’t exist.

PATM and MEBO are still often misclassified or linked to Olfactory Reference Syndrome, but there is growing recognition that underlying microbial dysbiosis or metabolic disorders may play a role.

Still, the bigger picture is encouraging: LLMs are improving, and that gives hope for people living with under-researched, heterogeneous, and often misunderstood conditions. While this podcast focuses a bit more on social and emotional support than on treatment options, that’s also an essential part of living with these conditions - and it makes this video worth watching.

Let’s dive in and see what AI can - and can’t - offer us right now.

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The Invisible Scent: Gut Microbes, Metabolism & MEBO

Welcome to The Invisible Scent, the podcast on the hidden connections between gut bacteria, metabolism, and socially debilitating malodor conditions like PATM, MEBO and TMAU. 

With expert interviews, patient stories, and cutting-edge insights, The Invisible Scent seeks to bridge the gap between medical research and real-world experiences. By embracing patient-reported data and advancing diagnostic tools, we aim to pave the way for more effective treatments and better quality of life for those affected.

Overview of MEBO/PATM and TMAU studies

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The R’s of Gut Healing: A Path to Recovery for MEBO Sufferers

It’s always good to hear from past participants of our studies, especially those who have been able to heal. We are happy that Jonathan is doing well now and grateful for his contributions to research.

"I followed a method called The Four R’s of the Gut, if you have heard about it, and I wanted to ask if it’s a good idea to help people in the group using the way I was cured, since you have more experience in this. Because I strongly believe taking the GI Map Stool test gave me clarity on what needed to be done"

The Four R’s Approach to gut health—Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, and Regenerate—has been widely recognized as a functional medicine framework for restoring digestive balance. It was recently expanded into the Five R’s, adding Rebalance to address lifestyle factors. 

Many in our community who successfully overcame MEBO, TMAU, PATM and related gut dysbiosis issues unknowingly followed this approach. As we’ve explored in previous research, gut health is intimately connected to metabolic function, detoxification, and body odor.

Understanding the R’s

1. Remove – Eliminating harmful bacteria, yeast overgrowth, parasites, and inflammatory foods that contribute to gut dysbiosis. Testing, like the GI Map Stool Test, can provide clarity on specific pathogens or imbalances.
2. Replace – Restoring digestive efficiency with digestive enzymes, stomach acid (HCl), and bile salts to support nutrient breakdown and absorption.
3. Reinoculate – Rebuilding the gut microbiome with beneficial probiotics and prebiotics to ensure a balanced microbial environment.
4. Regenerate – Healing the gut lining with nutrients like L-glutamine, zinc, omega-3s, and collagen to repair intestinal permeability (leaky gut).
5. Rebalance - restoring the mind-body connection and lifestyle habits that influence digestive health

Emerging research suggests that gut dysbiosis and impaired detoxification play a role in conditions like MEBO, PATM and TMAU. Since the gut is a major site of toxin processing and elimination, any imbalance in microbial composition or gut barrier function may contribute to metabolic odors.

By restoring gut health, many have reported a significant reduction in symptoms—sometimes without even realizing they were following the Four R’s protocol.

Read the full article here: Olfactics and Olfactory Theranostics: From 4R to 5R: The Evolution of Functional Medicine in Gut Health

If you’ve successfully used this method or have questions about how to implement it, share your experience in the comments! Let’s continue learning from each other’s journeys toward recovery.

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