asparagus after-effects

[mellowtigger]

Instead of new science articles as I'm wont to post, how about some old science every once in a while? Sort of a "The More You Know" kind of effort. (I really like those public service/education spots.)

You know that familiar odor that wafts from your urine after eating asparagus? Well, although everyone can smell it at high enough concentrations, it turns out that some people are actually hypersensitive to it and can smell the chemicals at much lower concentrations than the typical person. According to a 1980 study:

It would appear that the ability to excrete (a) characteristic pungent substance(s)
in the urine after eating asparagus is universal, since those familiar with the odour
could detect it in the urine of anyone who had eaten asparagus (whether or not
that person was able to detect it himself). Thus the excretion of the odorous
substance(s) cannot be due to an inborn error of metabolism.
...
"'Taste blindness' for various substances in the minority of a population is well known,
and there are reports of 'smell blindness' or specific anosmia for certain odours
as well."
...
If confirmed, this would be the first instance of a specific smell hypersensitivity.

The more you know.... the weirder the world gets.   You may thank me later.  :)

Comments

Yum?

[caestus.livejournal.com]

I just had asparagus for breakfast. How coincidental. We even discussed that very thing.
I am sure I am a non-smeller because I have never noticed the smell, and I am a non-taster about many things.