Trimethylaminuria

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Important

It is possible that the main title of the report Trimethylaminuria is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Fish Odor Syndrome
• Flavin Containing Monooxygenase 3
• FMO, Adult Liver Form
• FMO3
• Stale Fish Syndrome

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Trimethylaminuria is a rare disorder in which the body’s metabolic processes fail to alter the chemical trimethylamine. Trimethylamine is notable for its unpleasant smell. It is the chemical that gives rotten fish a bad smell. When the normal metabolic process fails, trimethylamine accumulates in the body, and its odor is detected in the person’s sweat, urine and breath. The consequences of emitting a foul odor can be socially and psychologically damaging among adolescents and adults. The genetic or primary form of this disorder is transmitted as an autosomal recessive trait.



A secondary form of trimethylaminuria may result from the side effects of treatment with large doses of the amino acid derivative L-carnitine (levocarnitine). The metabolic deficiency occurs as a result of a failure in the cell to make a specific protein, in this case, the enzyme flavin-containing monooxygenase3. Enzymes are nature’s catalysts and act to speed up biochemical activities. Without this enzyme, foods containing carnitine, choline and/or trimethylamine-N-oxide are processed to trimethylamine and no further, causing a strong fishy odor. This secondary form of the disorder is a result of an overload of trimethylamine. In this case, there is not enough of the enzyme to get rid of the excess trimethylamine.

Resources

CLIMB (Children Living with Inherited Metabolic Diseases)

Climb Building

176 Nantwich Road

Crewe, Intl CW2 6BG

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 870 7700 325

Fax: +44 870 7700 327

Email: info@climb.org.uk

Internet: http://www.CLIMB.org.uk



Trimethylaminuria Foundation

P.O. Box 3361

Grand Central Station

New York, NY 10163-3361

USA

Tel: 2123004168

Fax: 9176407308

Email: theTFnetwk@aol.com



Trimethylaminuria Midwest Region Foundation

12537 Hardy Street

Overland Park, KS 66213-1446

Tel: (913)906-9496

Email: EMPORIA962000@YAHOO.COM



MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network

150 Custer Court

Green Bay, WI 54301-1243

USA

Tel: 9203365333

Fax: 9203390995

Tel: 8773365333

Email: mums@netnet.net

Internet: http://www.netnet.net/mums/



Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

PO Box 8126

Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126

Tel: (301)519-3194

Fax: (240)632-9164

Tel: (888)205-2311

TDD: (888)205-3223

Email: gardinfo@nih.gov

Internet: http://www.genome.gov/10000409

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  4/7/2008

Copyright  1994, 1995, 1999, 2005 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

Last updated:	April 07, 2008