Discontinuous distribution of N-oxidation of dietary-derived trimethylamine in a British population.
1. Whilst the majority of individuals within a British white population are able to convert > 90% of their dietary-derived trimethylamine to its N-oxide, outliers exist who show varying degrees of decreased metabolism. Such individuals, excrete unoxidized trimethylamine in their urine and, if N-oxidation is sufficiently low, may experience malodour problems (Fish-Odour syndrome). 2. Such observations have now been extended to a much larger group (n = 421; 221 males) of British white volunteers recruited from staff and students of Imperial College Medical School at St. Mary's, London. Each subject collected a 0-24-h urine sample, which was subsequently analysed for total trimethylamine and trimethylamine N-oxide content. 3. Sixteen subjects (3.8% population; seven male, nine female) excreted < 90% of their total trimethylamine output as N-oxide. All six subjects who excreted < 80% as N-oxide (indicative of potential heterozygous status for deficient N-oxidation-fish odour syndrome) were female.
Zhang
A Q
AQ
Pharmacology and Toxicology, Imperial College School of Medicine at St. Mary's, London, UK.
Mitchell
S C
SC
Smith
R L
RL
D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000652:urine; D008744:Methylamines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009812:Odorants; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D006113:United Kingdom
D008744:Methylamines; C005855:trimethyloxamine; C023336:trimethylamine