One factor that can increase a person’s likability when you meet them is their smell. Wearing a pleasant fragrance can help garner favor, while body odors or sweat can cause discomfort. As we age, a body odor called older adults’ smell can become more prominent. We’ve explored the identity of this elderly smell, which the person may not be aware of, and why this unique body odor occurs and who it affects.
What is the older adult’s smell that comes with age?
As we age, a distinct smell, often called older adults’ smell, begins to develop. This smell is due to a substance called nonenal. Nonenal is produced when the fatty acids in the sebum oxidize, accumulating in the pores and creating an unpleasant odor. This substance is commonly found in people over the age of 40.
Even young people can produce it
Body odor could be primarily due to exhaustion or stress, even at a young age. Nonenal can be secreted in young people due to autonomic dysfunction or an increase in the body’s inflammatory response. If your body odor is powerful, experts advise seeking medical advice as it could indicate autonomic nervous system disorders or abnormalities in the intestines or liver.
Be careful from your 40s!
As we age, our metabolism slows, and the skin’s antioxidant function decreases. This leads to the sebum’s oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, which causes the so-called older adults’s smell. As mentioned earlier, from one’s 40s onwards, the production of nominal increases, metabolism slows down, and sweat secretion decreases, making odor removal more difficult.
Can it be removed entirely?
While it’s difficult to remove this elderly smell, changing your lifestyle habits ultimately can somewhat improve it. Your diet influences your body’s smell, so simply managing your diet well can help prevent the smell to some extent. Foods rich in spices or containing sulfur compounds, choline, etc., can be excreted through sweat, causing a unique smell. Thus, it’s best to be cautious.
Denture can also be a culprit for odor
If you wear dentures, this can also impact your health. You should clean your dentures with a special toothbrush under running water, and soaking them in a denture cleaner once a day can eliminate remaining bacteria and prevent bad breath.
Bathing is better than scrubbing
When you have body odor, it’s better to shower after a half-bath than to scrub your body. Taking a half-bath allows you to sufficiently soak and remove the contaminants left on the skin’s surface. Hydration is also essential – drink water frequently whenever you think of it, and eating foods rich in antioxidants, such as black soybeans, perilla oil, and blueberries, can also help.
Surprisingly, not everyone showers daily
Showering is essential for reducing body odor. However, surprisingly, not everyone showers daily. If you feel that your body smells, you should shower daily. When washing, use soap and cleanser to rinse thoroughly, and keep areas of the body where the body odor can be strong, like the armpits, toes, and behind the ears, clean. If showering alone isn’t enough, taking a bath at least twice a week is also good.
Lifestyle modifications are necessary
Reduced outdoor activity can lead to a slow metabolism and unpleasant body odor. Getting enough sunlight to synthesize vitamin D can boost metabolism, and the germicidal effect of UV rays can also help eliminate odors. Regular exercise also increases sweat excretion, naturally expelling waste and reducing odor. Underwear, socks, outerwear, bedding, etc., should be washed frequently, and if the smell does not disappear, boiling them can help.
What if there is an underlying disease?
Controlling underlying diseases also plays a crucial role in maintaining body odor. Chronic kidney disease, liver disease, or uncontrolled diabetes can also cause unpleasant smells due to the accumulation of metabolic substances in the body or increased bacterial proliferation due to weakened immunity.
Drinking and smoking are the worst
Alcohol consumption and smoking also have adverse effects on odor control, so abstinence from these habits is recommended. Alcohol consumption is known to promote the production of nonenal, and smoking is believed to inhibit its breakdown. In addition, persistent drinking and smoking can exacerbate underlying diseases such as diabetes, liver disease, and kidney disease. Diseases associated with drinking and smoking, such as oral diseases, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastritis, etc., can also be the cause of odors.
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