Some people need to quit being a expert......(or wack ya with my came and say ..":smell this asshole"..?)
What is the cause of the common odor many senior citizens have (despite good hygiene)?
Gary Foster
Gary Foster, Recruiter, Career Transition and Retirement Coach at Makeagingwork.com (2017-present)
Answered Mar 9
I’m a septuagenarian and I’ve been sensitive to a definite “odor” that is often emanating from older people. It’s not particularly unpleasant like a hydrogen sulfide emission or garlic/onion breath. It’s more of a pungent, weird sort of smell.
Unlike the other strange answers I’ve seen to this question, it turns out that there is a name for that odor and an explanation for its existence (yes, you can thank me for being weird enough to spend time researching old people smells). It’s called “nonenal”, referred to as “old people smell” and it is widely misunderstood.
In an article in “Caregiver Support” entitled “The Truth About ‘Old People Smell”, a study published by the "Journal of Investigative Dermatology" confirms that an increase of nonenal is associated with aging.
“Found only in participants aged 40 and older, nonenal is a component of body odor that is produced when omega-7 unsaturated fatty acids on the skin are degraded through oxidation.
Despite these findings, many people think that Nonenal is the result of poor bathing habits. Others believe that the smell, which is difficult to detect on oneself but lingers on pillowcases, shirt collars, and other such fabrics, is completely impossible to combat. However, neither of these assumptions has any basis in fact; it is time to illuminate the truth about Nonenal.
What causes us to “smell” as we age? Now we know that it is a natural by-product of the aging process, beginning around 40 and is caused by the deterioration of the skin's antioxidant defenses. Put me in the crowd that had no clue my skin even had that role.
So here’s the scientific explanation of why gramps – and perhaps yourself, although you can’t smell it on yourself or would admit it if you did – has that distinctive, musty smell. I understand – this is more than you ever wanted to know about this, so if it’s just too boring or seemingly irrelevant, just go on your smelly way.
According to the article, this is what is happening to you and me:
“As the skin grows weaker, its natural oils become oxidized more quickly. Fatty acids, which are secreted by the sebaceous glands, react to the oxygen in the air to form nonenal. Because it isn't water soluble, nonenal can remain on the skin despite washing, even remaining after intense scrubbing. Therefore, the smell persists, even in extremely clean environments.”
How do we get rid of the smell? Or better yet, prevent it from being one of our geezer calling cards? The article offers some surprising (not really!) remedies. Where have we heard these before?
“Reducing nonenal odor can be accomplished by following a healthy lifestyle: exercising regularly, avoiding stress, abstaining from smoking, drinking alcohol only in moderation, eating a clean diet, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough rest.”
Who would have thunk it!
So, the truth is that old people tend to smell but it is a natural part of the aging process and not something to be ashamed of. Its prevalence and intensity seems to be largely under our control through our living habits. Personally, I’d rather avoid it and not have it saddle me with a geezer tag.