I couldn’t resist this bit of fun health news. It seems that flatulence, or otherwise – farting – lowers blood pressure. Ok the smell overrides the health benefits but the next time your wife protests, remind her that you’re simply trying to stay healthy.

Now getting a bit serious on this topic, researchers at Johns Hopkins University, in Maryland, have discovered that the gas leading to flatulence is produced from an enzyme called CSE – a substance that also relaxes the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. CSE~ production starts inside the cells that line the blood vessels. The odor comes from bacteria in the gut that generate small amounts of hydrogen sulphide, a toxic gas whose use might now be further developed to help with blood pressure treatment.

This study shows that smelly hydrogen sulphide is also likely to have a role in regulating blood pressure and it will be a bit of an impetus for scientists to develop more specific tools to work out what’s going on. Now we see that low levels of hydrogen sulphide are necessary for better health, while high levels are toxic. Scientists hope the findings will lead to new options for treating high blood pressure, a condition that has steadily become more prevalent worldwide.

And who said women don’t fart?