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| Melodium reduced TMA from carnitine but not choline |
Only worked on TMA produced via carnitine, not from choline
First time a scientific paper has been released that attempted to decrease TMA levels in the gut
Research is because of a paper suggesting a link between TMA-oxide levels and heart disease published 2 years ago.
Most of this type of research will be because of a potential 'heart disease' connection
Pubmed abstract : Suppression of intestinal microbiota-dependent production of pro-atherogenic trimethylamine N-oxide by shifting L-carnitine microbial degradation.
Authors : Latvian researchers
My own view
In relation to systemic malodors, my view isthat this may only be of use to those who feel they only have an odor due to trimethylamine, not to odors caused by other FMO3 substrates or other volatiles. Nonetheless it is great to see scientific work will be done on trying to eliminate TMA production in the gut because of a paper that suggested a connection with heart disease and TMA-oxide
Background
In 2012, a paper by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic suggested that there was a connection between TMA-Oxide levels produced by the gut flora in the gut, and 'heart disease' (CVD). Since then it has been very likely that scientists worldwide will be looking at ways to reduce or eliminate trimethylamine production in the gut. This seems to be the first doc
ument of a a drug being used to suppress TMA production. TMA in the gut is formed from precursors such as choline and carnitine being degraded in the gut, and also from TMA-oxide in fish foods. In this case, the drug meldonium was recorded as decreasing TMA production by gut microbes from carnitine, but not choline.
Note about Meldonium
Currently (Oct 2014) it only seems to be available in Lithuania and Russia and is not approved (yet) by the USA FDA. Link : Wikipedia Meldonium
What it means
First of all, it shows that labs around the world are probably researching ways to eliminate TMA production in the gut because of a theorized link with CVD. So this is probably the first of many research projects looking to inhibit TMA production in the gut. Of course this would also help anyone who thought trimethylamnine was solely to blame for their metabolic malodor
My own concerns
Personally I think people with a 'FMO issue' will be prone to smelling of any volatile that is oxidized by the FMO3 enzyme. Perhaps trimethylamine may not even be a 'big player' in the range of volatiles they could smell of. So while I am happy about this research, I am concerned it may not solve most cases of 'FMO3 malodor', though perhaps it is not as straightforward as that.
My understanding of FMO3
FMO3 oxidizes 1,000s of sulfides, amines and phosphate containing compounds of a certain structure generated in the body, gut, and environment. The human has quite a few 'oxidizing' enzymes, only really discovered in 1960's. Often these enzymes are regarded as part of the group of 'drug metabolizing enzymes'. Surprisingly, little is still known about them, and especially ones like FMO3 that are currently regarded as 'small players' . FMo3 may be a 'small player'(?) but it seems a commonly used enzyme.
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