A discussion at work yesterday prompted me to take a survey of those of us working - who has stinky pee after eating asparagus? Out of 13 of us working, only three of us claimed that our pee didn't stink, myself included. Oh, and another who said her pee only smelled a little bit... perhaps she's got a mutated gene...
I actually also had this discussion with a friend a month or so ago, and after doing some research then, I found that statistics show that only 40 to 50 percent of people that eat asparagus have a gene that breaks down an enzyme (or enzymes) in asparagus, thus producing smelly pee. I also found that some people don't have the ability to smell the odor produced.
I don't know, maybe there's some weird nursing-asparagus eating link, but only three of us? I felt like maybe I was special. After some discussion, on of my coworkers agreed to bring in some asparagus (grilled, of course) and we'd run an experiment. I suddenly became scared that maybe I wasn't so special and I do have asparagus pee but just couldn't smell it.
In any event, the experiment went down today and it turns out that I don't have the gene to break down the enzyme - my pee is asparagus free. And, I'm able to smell what asparagus pee smells like (thanks, Amy). Am I special? Not according to statistics, but on my unit... yes I am.
The funniest part was when I found out that indeed my pee didn't have "the odor." I literally started jumping up and down in the bathroom yelling, "I have the gene!! I have the gene!!" I mean, I was wrong, I should have been yelling, "I don't have the gene!!"
The really good news is that I love asparagus and I can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I want - and know that my pee is asparagus-stench-free.
hysterical. I wish I didn't have the gene! I often don't eat asparagus b/c I dread the asparagus pee. Also, I love you, but I don't think I could even share that with you. Amy is awesome for sharing.
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