alt.hn

3/27/2025 at 3:55:30 PM

Fish odor syndrome – A rare metabolic condition that makes sweat smell like fish

 https://www.livescience.com/health/viruses-infections-disease/fish-odor-syndrome-a-rare-metabolic-condition-that-makes-sweat-smell-like-rotten-fish

by Brajeshwar

3/31/2025 at 3:32:38 AM

An important character in the great Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, likely had this condition. She was the great-grandmother of the Pandavas and Kauravas and her name was Satyavati. She was also known as Matsyagandhi ("fish-fragrant").

by graphcolorer

4/1/2025 at 2:11:40 AM

Another Mahabharat character, Krishna might have a genetic condition as well called methemoglobinemia. Or he's a god.

by karunamurti

3/31/2025 at 1:21:11 AM

I recently learned about this condition through a film called The Holdovers

by 79a6ed87

3/31/2025 at 5:06:03 AM

I've never seen The Holdovers, but I'm a stunned fan of Bob's Burgers, if we're doing a "surprised by fish odor syndrome in well-known media" thread.

by throwing_away

3/31/2025 at 6:23:40 AM

Great movie.

by e40

3/31/2025 at 1:30:28 PM

Terrible.

Imagine that you want to make a film that is an unholy amalgam of Scrooge, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Dead Poets' Society and The Breakfast Club. Imagine that your audience is oblivious to any nuance and you're not so creative, so you will need to employ the standard tropes of bratty prep school kids, mother whose son was killed before his time, bookish professor with a heart of gold and life lessons at the end for all our protagonists.

Trowel on the schmaltz like it's wet concrete and multiply the cringe by 1000. Now you have a decent description of this movie.

by mhb

3/31/2025 at 2:58:42 AM

So there was a redeeming element to that film!!

by mhb

3/31/2025 at 5:51:06 PM

I remember a girl in my music class in elementary school. She sat away from everyone else but the bullies would always make remarks about the smell, and she smelled strongly of fish. Not knowing any better I thought she should shower more because it was foul but never said anything mean to her. Sad to know this is probably what she had.

by psygn89

3/31/2025 at 7:48:03 AM

What's the condition that makes it smell like marijuana? Some days it will smell like nothing, and some days it is reminiscent of some high quality sticky icky.

by reassess_blind

3/31/2025 at 3:20:58 PM

Good to know that I'm not alone :D

by Permik

3/31/2025 at 8:37:09 AM

Marijuana detox? At least in my case

by dudefeliciano

3/31/2025 at 1:45:51 AM

oh so that's what my elementary school classmate had

by int3

3/31/2025 at 4:35:53 AM

I had a classmate like that too. You could genuinely smell him the moment he entered the room.

I used to think it was lack of hygiene, but I'm now quite sad to hear it was this condition.

That must be hell, knowing there's nothing you can do

by tetris11