Kevin Bae

Non-Social in a Socially Networked World

Science proves why I’m odorless

It’s SCIENCE!!

I think my two ethnicities cancel each other out and that’s why I have no body odor of any kind. I’ve known too many Koreans who stink to high heaven.

The secret behind the lesser body odour among South Koreans and Japanese lies in a gene called ABCC11. It is responsible for determining the type of sweat our body produces. There are two main types of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine. Eccrine glands produce a watery, odourless sweat, while apocrine glands secrete a thicker, more odorous substance.

Interestingly, the ABCC11 gene controls the function of apocrine glands. A specific variant of this gene, commonly found among East Asians, reduces the production of smelly sweat by limiting the activity of apocrine glands. According to scientific research, around 80-95% of Koreans and Japanese possess this gene variant.

Medical Channel Asia

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