Body odours can reveal signs that something is wrong with our bodies. While we often dismiss unusual smells as embarrassing or unpleasant, some diseases may emit distinct odours that can be detected by trained noses – human or animal.
Perdita Barran, an analytical chemist, has been studying how body odours relate to health conditions. She worked alongside Joy Milne, a 74-year-old retired nurse who claimed she could smell Parkinson’s disease in her husband, Les. Milne’s super-sensitive sense of smell allowed her to detect the unique musky smell associated with Parkinson’s disease.
Milne’s ability was tested by Barran and colleagues, who asked her to sniff T-shirts worn by people with Parkinson’s disease versus those without it. She correctly identified all six patients. Her remarkable talent led scientists to develop a simple skin swab test that can detect Parkinson’s disease in its early stages.
Other diseases may also produce distinct odours that can be detected using special techniques. For example, diabetic individuals may emit a fruity or “rotten apples” aroma due to the build-up of ketones in their bloodstream. People with liver disease may give off a musty or sulphurous smell, while kidney disease patients may have ammonia-like breath.
Dogs are renowned for their incredible sense of smell and can detect various diseases through scent alone. Scientists aim to replicate this ability in laboratory settings using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques.
“We’re looking for patterns in sensory activation that is closer to what you do as a brain,” says Andreas Mershin, co-founder of RealNose.ai. The company is developing an odour-detecting device that can identify prostate cancer and other diseases.
The discovery of body odours’ potential role in disease diagnosis highlights the importance of listening to our bodies and paying attention to unusual smells. By making observations and acting on them, we may be able to detect health issues earlier and improve treatment outcomes.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250815-these-scientists-say-they-can-diagnose-health-problems-by-smelling-your-body