The smell of hydrogen sulfide (the “rotten egg” smell) in flatulence has been tied to lower blood pressure in mice.

Researchers hypothesize that, like mice, our blood vessels naturally make the gas. The gas is believed to relax the blood vessels in mice which helps them fight high blood pressure and hypertension. According to Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., a co-author of the study, “Now that we know hydrogen sulfide’s role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension,”.

The study was featured in the October 24, 2008 issue of the journal Science.

Sources:

Live Science (23 October 2008). “The Stink in Farts Controls Blood Pressure”. Retrieved November 4, 2008 from http://www.livescience.com/health/081023-farts-blood-pressure.html.

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