Women's Farts Smell Stronger Than Men's—But May Be Beneficial to Health [Health Talk]

[Financial News] Recent research has found scientific evidence supporting the claim that women's flatulence smells worse than men's.
According to the New York Post on the 4th (local time), gastroenterologist Michael Levitt, known as the 'King of Farts,' introduced a 1998 experiment on the odor of flatulence. He explained, "Women's flatulence contains a higher concentration of hydrogen sulfide than men's."
Dr. Levitt recruited 16 healthy adult volunteers with no history of gastrointestinal disease. Participants wore a 'flatulence collection device' consisting of a rectal tube and a gas bag, then consumed beans and a laxative to collect the expelled gas.
The research team analyzed the gas samples using gas chromatography. Two evaluators rated each sample on a scale from 0 to 8 (with 8 being extremely unpleasant). The evaluators were unaware that they were smelling human flatulence.
Analysis revealed that the main cause of the odor was sulfur-containing compounds, particularly hydrogen sulfide, which is known for its rotten egg smell.
Although men produced a larger volume of flatulence, women's samples contained significantly higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide.
However, the stronger odor of women's flatulence may actually be beneficial to health. While hydrogen sulfide, the main culprit behind the odor, is highly toxic in large amounts, the small quantities present in women's flatulence may help protect aging brain cells from Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Hydrogen sulfide is known to chemically modify proteins through a process called sulfhydration, which helps facilitate communication between brain cells. Sulfhydration decreases with age, and the decline is even greater in patients with AD.
In 2021, researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine administered a hydrogen sulfide donor compound to laboratory mice with Alzheimer's genes for 12 weeks. Compared to untreated mice, those receiving hydrogen sulfide showed about a 50% improvement in cognitive and motor functions. The treated mice also demonstrated better memory in locating a platform and increased activity. However, it remains unclear whether the same effects occur in humans.
The researchers stated, "This study suggests that certain behavioral symptoms related to AD may be improved by hydrogen sulfide," but emphasized the need for further research.
newssu@fnnews.com Kim Soo-yeon Reporter