The Truth Behind 'Old Person Smell': It's Not What You Think
The Guardian explores the science behind 'old person smell,' revealing that the musty odor comes from a chemical compound called 2-nonenal, produced when skin oils oxidize with age. Experts explain that this natural change can begin as early as 40, is not a sign of poor hygiene, and may not be as unpleasant as stereotypes suggest. The article also offers practical tips for managing the scent and emphasizes that it's a universal part of aging.
It's just a natural byproduct of skin ageing – not dirt, not poor hygiene. It's just oil quietly changing over time, the same way metal changes when it's exposed to air.
- bookofjoe
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-Nonenal
>2-Nonenal Newly Found in Human Body Odor Tends to Increase with Aging [2001]
From the paper's abstract: "2-Nonenal, an unsaturated aldehyde with an unpleasant greasy and grassy odor, was detected only in older subjects (40 y or older).
https://www.jidonline.org/article/S0022-202X(15)41198-4/full...
The fact that it's been 25 years since the causative chemical with a "unpleasant greasy and grassy odor" was discovered and yet there's still no counteracting substance available is very surprising.
- comrade1234
I think there's probably more going on than that one chemical. For example, if I don't go jogging for a week and then go for a run my shirt later after it dries smells like urine. I looked up why and it's because urea builds up in your skin and is excreted with sweat. Maybe this fact just made me paranoid but I swear that I can smell a urea smell on my skin when I don't exercise regularly.
I imagine elderly people aren't out sweating regularly.
- nlanier
As a professional brewer by trade, I did not have it on my bingo card that the culprit behind 'old person smell' would be the same as the compound prevalent in stale beer.
- whacked_new
I guess there's going to be a perfume that breaks down 2-noneal on the market soon.
Tangentially, in my 20s I was in an audience seating and sat next to an old person. And I smelled a new kind of odor. It was displeasing, but not like body odor. I quickly realized it's an old person smell. It really just makes you think "old person". I assume there's some biological wiring in there.
- sajithdilshan
Interesting, I thought it's just individual perception. Never knew there is actually a chemical compound behind it that affects everyone.