[h=2]Quashing myths about old people smell, research finds we can tell peoples ages from their smell, and that younger people smell worse[/h] Old people do have a distinct smell, but contrary to popular belief, its actually less intense and more pleasant than younger people, according to new research.
The investigation involved groups of people in three age ranges, young (20 to 30), middle aged (45 to 55) and old (75 to 95). They were instructed to sleep in the same T shirt, with extra pads under the armpits, for five nights in a row. The pads were then cut up and put into jars for an evaluating team of 41 people aged 20 to 30 to smell.
The evaluators were able to smell a difference between the three groups and were asked to rate how intense the odour was and how pleasant. They found that the old peoples samples smelled fairly neutral and not very unpleasant. Sniffers found it more difficult to tell the difference between young and middle aged scents but generally younger men fared the worst.
Young guys are stinky, middle aged guys are even more stinky, and when they got old it goes away, said lead researcher Dr Johan Lundstrom, in the report published in the journal Public Library of Science ONE. He added that after 80, the body reverts back to a second childhood in terms of body odour, which is why the older group had a less intense smell.
The investigation involved groups of people in three age ranges, young (20 to 30), middle aged (45 to 55) and old (75 to 95). They were instructed to sleep in the same T shirt, with extra pads under the armpits, for five nights in a row. The pads were then cut up and put into jars for an evaluating team of 41 people aged 20 to 30 to smell.
The evaluators were able to smell a difference between the three groups and were asked to rate how intense the odour was and how pleasant. They found that the old peoples samples smelled fairly neutral and not very unpleasant. Sniffers found it more difficult to tell the difference between young and middle aged scents but generally younger men fared the worst.
Young guys are stinky, middle aged guys are even more stinky, and when they got old it goes away, said lead researcher Dr Johan Lundstrom, in the report published in the journal Public Library of Science ONE. He added that after 80, the body reverts back to a second childhood in terms of body odour, which is why the older group had a less intense smell.
