It’s been confirmed – an old person does actually have a distinct scent. Dr Eric Shapira, Gerontologist and author of ‘A New Wrinkle: What I Learned from Older People Who Never Acted Their Age’ said that it is difficult to pinpoint the cause of the smell, as it is a process of what happens to the body as one ages.
However, even though the smell exists, it definitely doesn’t smell bad, Stuff.co.nz reported.
In a study, Johan Lundstrom of the Monell Chemical Senses Center tested the odours from the underarms of middle-aged adults and the elderly.
It was found that Middle-aged men smelled the worst, while the old were considered the second best, following middle women who came out to have the most-enjoyable body odours.
According to aforementioned physician Eric Shapira, the reason behind the smell in old people is simple dehydration.
As older people tend to be less thirsty, it results in them being dehydrated and shedding dry skin, cells of which can carry a musty smell.
Shapira added that older people also have a lesser oral hygiene due to less efficient brushing.
A team of Japanese researchers in 2000 discovered that concentration of the chemical 2-nonenal, which is an odoriferous substance found in sweat or on the skin, increases with age.
People in their 70’s tend to have three times more of its presence as compared to middle-aged individuals.
An elderly person’s living environment is also thought to be as a factor
Brenda Thompson of Tri-Country Home Nursing said all those old books and papers, linens and clothes collect dust and dampness over years, giving musty odour that can pervade the whole house.
Another factor behind the odour is that as we grow older, men tend to smell more like women, with this change thought by some to be hormonal based. (ANI)