Manly. Clean. Nice. Sexy. Enticing. Perhaps even musky. These are a few adjectives that men enjoy hearing applied to the aroma that wafts from their penis when it is unveiled to a partner. But in too many cases, the reaction is likely to be less favorable, indicating a penis odor problem that needs addressing. While penis odor can be a penis health and hygiene issue, it can also be related to other issues affecting the body. For instance, one possible cause when the penis odor resembles the strong smell of boiling cabbage is that a man has too much methionine in his system.
Never heard of methionine
Most people are unfamiliar with methionine, but it’s a substance found in all human bodies. Methionine is considered an essential amino acid, making it a protein building block that is important for the body to function correctly. Among methionine’s functions are helping metabolism and keeping blood vessels healthy, as well as engaging in healthy tissue maintenance, so it has a big role to play in everyone’s life.
The way our bodies work is highly complex, with one component affecting another so that small changes in one area can have big consequences elsewhere. That’s the case with methionine. When there is too much of it – when the body makes or takes in more methionine than it is able to metabolize – it throws things a little out of whack. The excess methionine has to find some way to leave the body, and it does so through the sweat glands and through urine.
Penis odor problem
But methionine produced in high quantities comes with an unpleasant odor – the boiled cabbage scent alluded to earlier. This largely comes from the presence of sulfur in methionine, which has a distinct and sometimes overpowering aroma.
When methionine exits the body through sweat glands near the penis, it tends to get trapped there beneath the double layer of underwear and pants. (This also increases heat in the area, making the glands in this area produce even more sweat.) In addition, stray drops of urine dry on the penis, further adding to the boiled cabbage odor.
Treatment
Sometimes a person has too much methionine simply because their diet is very high in foods that contain this amino acid. (Some examples include turkey, beef, tuna, pork chops, milk, quinoa, and firm tofu.) If they can cut out some of these foods from their diets and replace them with foods with less methionine (such as many fruits and vegetables), then the penis odor problem may right itself.
But sometimes there may be a genetic factor that makes it difficult for a person’s body to properly metabolize methionine. It’s also possible that other metabolic disorders may impact methionine metabolization as well. In such cases, it is important to see a doctor and get a proper diagnosis so that an appropriate treatment plan may be developed.
In general, people with penis odor from methionine may need to pay even more attention to hygiene issues in order to fight the unwanted smell.
Another route that men with penis odor like boiled cabbage can try is to daily apply a top-drawer penis health oil (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). Check the ingredients list and be sure that the oil chosen includes vitamin A. This vitamin is a natural antibacterial agent that works to combat unpleasant penile odors caused by bacteria that thrive in warm, dark areas, such as the groin. The best oil will also contain a potent antioxidant, such as alpha lipoic acid. By fighting free radicals and reducing oxidative damage, alpha lipoic acid strengthens penis skin, making it better capable of fighting penis odor.
