222 Why Asparagus Makes Your Pee Smell

The Body Nerd Show

Today’s episode doesn’t need a whole lot of explanation: I had asparagus one day and couldn’t help but wonder about a peculiar scent. If you eat asparagus, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

So I dove into the research and learned way more about asparagus than I ever thought I would 🙈

Asparagus has some unique compounds that when metabolized, produce ammonia and various sulfur-containing degradation products that are responsible for the distinctive smell.

And if you’ve ever had asparagus, you know exactly what I’m talking about!

It’s nothing new - this discovery dates back to 1891 but it wasn’t until 2010 that we finally got some answers as to why this happens only for some people.

Trust me, you won't look at asparagus the same way again. 😄

You’ll learn:

• Why asparagus makes your pee smell
• The chemical compounds that are responsible for the odor
• And the genetic reason why some people can smell it and others cannot

All the links:

• Web-based, participant-driven studies yield novel genetic associations for common traits. PLoS genetics 6, no. 6 (2010)
• Odorous urine in man after asparagus. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1989
• Identification of asparagusic acid as a nematicide occurring naturally in the roots of asparagus." Chemistry Letters 4.1 (1975)
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