Everyone farts and everyone has gotten an unexpected nose full of gas at one time or another. We joke about farts. Society taboos farts. Most of us try to avoid sniffing foul farts at any cost. But, could taking a big whiff of someones freshly cut cheese actually be good for you?
According to a recent study conducted by Exeter University researchers, the gas commonly found in farts could actually be good for you in small doses. It turns out that hydrogen sulfide, the stinkycomponent of our flatulence, can help protect cells and ward off disease.
While toxic in large doses, cells actually produce their own hydrogen sulfide when subjected to stress. This is in order to protect the mitochondria i.e. the cells energy powerhouse. Mitochondria regulate inflammation levels, house the important mitochondrial DNA and essentially determine whether a cell exists or dies. If the mitochondria fails, the cell dies, and disease ensues. So small quantities of hydrogen sulfide are produced to protect this essential cellular organ when it’s under stress.
Taking this concept a step further, researchers have created a new compound utilizing hydrogen sulfide called AP39 to try to further protect mitochondria and their respective cells from the ravages of disease. According to the preliminary research, it appears that if cells are stressed and treated with a small quantity of AP39, mitochondria are protected and cells stay alive in greater quantities than without the compound. In early studies, when exposed to a destructive condition (modeling heart disease) in a lab setting, 80 percent more mitochondria were preserved when treated with AP39 than the untreated cells. This is incredible, and treating conditions at the cellular level in this manner could be incredibly successful. In real world applications, this could become a viable treatment for any number of conditions related to inflammation and premature cell death: heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia and even cancer.
Okay, it’s not quite smelling farts, but the healthcare implications of utilizing hydrogen sulfide in the future could be huge, although there is still much research to be done. And heck, it doesn’t hurt to let em rip once in a while who knows, your neighbors may be healthier for it!
See full story on care2.com