Most people love their elderly family and friends for their wisdom, kindness, and great stories. But ask anyone, and they’ll likely tell you that their least favorite part of spending time with the elderly is the strange smell they seem to emit.
Most people assume this “old person smell” comes from their old clothing and furniture, but scientists have proven that it’s actually coming from their aging bodies.
Grandparents Have a Certain Smell
Because kids are brutally honest, they’re the most likely to complain about that strange odor coming from their grandparents, but adults can smell it, too.
What’s interesting about this specific scent is people have noticed it permeating from the elderly all over the world, no matter what they eat or wear, if they use for perfume, or even how often they wash their clothes.
Studies Prove Old-Person Smell Is Very Real
The old-person smell that both children and adults notice in the elderly is not a figment of their imagination. A study conducted in 2012 in Philadelphia proved that everyone can smell it.
Neuroscientist Johan Lundstrom asked 44 people between the ages of 20 and 90 to sleep in t-shirts with foam pads sewn into them for five days. At the end of the experiment, the pads were collected, and the younger subjects could determine which pads were used by the elderly immediately because of the distinct smell.
Some Senior Citizens Try to Mask the Scent
Some elderly people notice the scent on themselves and do their best to mask it by buying new clothes, wearing cologne or perfume, bathing more frequently, or washing their clothes with a strongly scented detergent.
However, a study has shown that while these tactics could technically minimize the smell, they will never be able to completely rid themselves of the odor as it actually comes from inside their bodies.
Metabolism Slows by 10% Every Decade
Scientists have long understood that as people age, their metabolism drastically slows. According to one study, “the rate at which we break down food decreases by 10 percent each decade after 20.”
This can cause changes in the body, appetite, and even energy levels. But it also means that food stays in the stomach longer, which creates different chemical reactions in the elderly than in the young.
Aging Metabolisms Create “Old-Person Smell”
While investigating the origins of “old-person smell,” scientists found that the elderly’s slowed metabolism leads to several chemical reactions that don’t occur in younger bodies.
Specifically, they noticed an excess of a chemical compound known as 2-nonenal, which is released when oxygen breaks down fatty acids. This compound is then released through the largest organ in the body, the skin, accompanied by the famous old-person odor.
A Similar Study Was Conducted in Japan
Researchers in Japan also conducted several studies to analyze this so-called old-person smell. The primary experiment gave t-shirts to 22 people aged 26 to 75 to sleep in.
After returning the shirts to the lab, scientists found that the shirts used by subjects over the age of 45 contained a significantly higher amount of 2-nonenal than those of the younger participants.
Odor Caused by 2-nonenal Is Unique to the Person
Some people reading this may think that their elderly loved one either doesn’t have a strange scent or smells different from other senior citizens they’ve met.
It’s interesting to note that, while all aging people produce 2-nonenal compounds because of their slow metabolisms, the specific scent the chemical emits can differ in both odor and intensity, depending on the person and their habits.
Dehydration Intensifies the Scent
One reason this old-person smell is so potent in many people is that it intensifies with dehydration. Most senior citizens are chronically dehydrated. They struggle to consume a sufficient amount of water, not because they aren’t physically able but because they aren’t thirsty.
Dr. Nodar James from the Upper East Side Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in New York explained, “As we get older, our thirst center — which is located in the hypothalamus — isn’t as active as it used to be, so the brain doesn’t always give the signal that we need to drink.”
Certain Medications Can Also Strengthen the “Old-Person Smell”
Additionally, some elderly people have a more robust or different scent because of the medications they take. The majority of senior citizens take several pills every day, either for chronic conditions, general discomfort, or preventative medicine.
Many of these medications have body odor listed as a side effect, and this scent often blends with the odor released from the 2-nonenal compounds.
The Scent Lasts Longer When Senior Citizens Struggle to Bathe
While even excessive bathing cannot completely rid the elderly of these scents, regular and proper hygiene can help minimize them.
Many elderly people find it challenging to shower or bathe consistently because of the physical exertion required. As one would expect, the longer they go between bathing, the more intense the odor will become.
There’s Not Much the Elderly Can Do About Their Distinct Scent
This study is certainly interesting to scientists and medical professionals all around the world. But more than that, it’s an important bit of knowledge for everyone working, living, and spending time with the elderly.
Besides regularly bathing and washing their clothes and sheets, there is nothing senior citizens can do about their seemingly strange old-person odor. It’s a natural part of aging and will happen to each and every one of us one day.
