more than just another bike blog

Thursday, January 25, 2007

can somebody tell me

why does asparagus make your pee smell funny?

10 Comments:

At 1/25/2007 10:12 PM, Blogger ~ lauren said...

how come cyclists fart so much?

 
At 1/25/2007 10:22 PM, Blogger Lorri Lee Lown -- velogirl said...

excuse me? I don't fart. ever.

however, there are lots of ingredients in sports food that could cause flatulence (especially all those preservatives).

I've been reading a very interesting book that says that after 30 or so, we all start falling apart and farting because our bodies are so messed up and we've got parasites and our sphincter muscle isn't strong enough to hold em in. The book has nothing to do with any of that though -- it's about older women and tadpoles.

 
At 1/26/2007 6:02 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

it's a natural diuretic...

same as watercress and cucumber

 
At 1/26/2007 10:07 AM, Blogger Lorri Lee Lown -- velogirl said...

Okay, so my question was a bit rhetorical -- I already knew the answer but it always amazes me.

But, my friend Rick sent a bit more information about our ability to smell, well you know, our pee.

"The funny smell comes from metabolites from the breakdown of some of the chemicals in asparagus, mostly the amino acid asparginine, and those metabolites are quickly filtered out by the kidneys and make their way out as 'pee'. About 3/4 of the way down in the Wikipedia page on asparagus ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagus) they discuss it. Interestingly, everyone excretes the stinky chemicals, but some folks cannot smell it. The ability to smell it is controlled by a single gene with simple inheritance, the lack of ability to smell is the recessive trait. Back when I taught Biology classes (large classes, 200+ students) it was an interesting experiment during the genetics section to feed everyone asparagus during class then poll during the next session to see who could and who could not smell the after-effect. I take it since you ask the question that you exhibit the dominant trait."

 
At 1/26/2007 12:40 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hmmm okay...sounds interesting

 
At 1/26/2007 2:01 PM, Blogger erein said...

"I've been reading a very interesting book that says that after 30 or so, we all start falling apart and farting because our bodies are so messed up..."

Probably just too many beans. And what's up with not farting, ever?!? Puh-leeze ;)

 
At 1/27/2007 1:14 AM, Blogger shawnkielty said...

Oh -- it always degrades to laughing about bodily funtions ...

 
At 1/29/2007 12:30 PM, Blogger EB said...

Older women & tadpoles? I want to read that one.

 
At 1/29/2007 12:50 PM, Blogger Lorri Lee Lown -- velogirl said...

yeah, tadpoles. you know, the youthful version of prince charming (the frog)? I think the formula goes something like this. the ideal age for a man = half your age + 7 years.

not sure where I got the book. the audience is really older women (50+). some interesting thoughts though.

 
At 1/29/2007 5:08 PM, Blogger X Bunny said...

why do lemonheads make my tongue hurt?

 

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