Are women's farts smellier than men's?
Whoever smelt it dealt it, but if it is particularly pungent, the culprit might be a woman.
The average person can pass gas up to 23 times a day, but whose fart is the smelliest - men's or women's?
While some couples have banned farting in each other's presence, others live by the mantra that couples who fart together, stay together.
Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on, everyone can agree that flatulence does not smell good, no matter who it is coming from.
A study takes it a step further and declares that the average woman's fart smells worse than that of a man.
Passing gas is a sensitive subject in most households, and the research is likely to lead to more arguments. The good news is that smellier farts could be linked to a lower likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease
Emphasis on the word "could".
According to The New York Post, gastroenterologist Michael Levitt conducted a test in 1998 to determine why human farts smell.
Levitt enlisted 16 adults to help him with his research. They were served pinto beans and administered a laxative. A tube device was used to collect their flatus.
The participants' farts were collected in a bag, which was then analysed. Judges rated the farts based on a scale of 0 to 8. The higher the number, the more pungent the stench.
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The fart testers had no idea they were sniffing human gas, which is probably a good thing.
In the end, the bags with the women's farts were rated higher than their male counterparts.
Researchers concluded that women's flatulence contains a higher amount of hydrogen sulfide, which gives smarts their smell.
The researchers found that the main gases responsible for the odor of human farts are sulfur-containing compounds, most notably hydrogen sulfide — the chemical behind that classic "rotten egg smell".
It's not all bad news for women, as men typically pass larger volumes of flatulence. Studies, such as a more recent one done at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, have also shown that the gas could have a positive effect on memory and motor function.
"In experiments in mice, researchers have shown the foul-smelling gas may help protect aging brain cells against Alzheimer’s disease," the university said.
The mice were injected with a hydrogen sulfide-carrying compound (NaGYY) and tested after 12 weeks.
"Behavioural tests on the mice showed that hydrogen sulfide improved cognitive and motor function by 50% compared with mice that did not receive the injections of NaGYY. Treated mice were able to better remember the locations of platform exits and appeared more physically active than their untreated counterparts with simulated Alzheimer’s disease."
The tests have not been carried out on humans, but researchers hope it "opens doors to the development of new drugs to combat neurodegenerative disease".
Women should also not feel ashamed about passing gas, as holding flatulence could lead to a mouth fart. A win is a win - regardless of how bad it stinks!
The next study should investigate why some humans enjoy the smell of their own farts.
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