Senile odor from the body of a woman after 40. What does the smell of old age, emanating from the body, indicate? Avoiding fatty foods

26.06.2020

The smell of old age

Probably everyone noticed that at a certain age people get the smell of old age from the body. Sometimes this is simply a lack of adherence to the rules of personal hygiene, sometimes it is a sign of chronic diseases, disruption of the sweat glands and fatty glands, slagging of the body.

Indeed, with age, all human physiological processes undergo changes. The older a person is, the more problems with metabolic processes appear, the enzymatic activity of digestion is disrupted ...

And if a person does not take this into account and continues to abuse meat, fried food, which the body is no longer able to process and the decay of which begins already in the stomach, then the intensity of unpleasant odors emanating from the body only increases. Often, an old person is followed by a train of medications being taken.

What are the reasons for these smells?

Scientists make another assumptions about the appearance of an unpleasant odor in the age category of people. They associate it with reproductive loss. The physiological processes of animals and humans are very similar, and observing animals, scientists have concluded that males choose a female for mating by the smell that sex hormones synthesize. In the aging body of animals, the synthesis of sex hormones that attract males stops.

In the human body, at a certain age, a restructuring of the hormonal background also begins, when the production of some hormones dies out and completely different substances are synthesized.

Nonenaly - the cause of senile smell

When studying problems, scientists do not rely on sensations, but on scientific research and facts, giving each phenomenon an objective basis. The fact of the smell of old age was also given such a conclusion.

Scientists in Japan have discovered nonenals - unusual chemicals that begin to be produced in the human body as it ages, especially after 60 years. Moreover, the older a person becomes, the more he synthesizes these substances with a characteristic odor that we associate with old age.

Nonenaly - the cause of senile smell

Alas, science cannot yet influence or reduce the synthesis of nonenals, as well as establish a specific reason for their formation.

Small but useful nuance: Scientists believe that perfumes help to disguise the smell of old age that nonenals create. This is how nature arranged our sense of smell. Often, not hearing our own smell, we are acutely aware of the smells coming from other people.
But men, at some subconscious level, are able to determine the age of a woman by her perfume .. incomprehensible, but it is! They associate the smell of flowers with the smell of an elderly woman, especially the smell of a rose!
And fruity notes of perfume - with youth! It is believed that the smell of grape fruit rejuvenates a woman in the eyes of men for almost 10 years !!!

Why shouldn't you eat fatty and fried foods?

Some scientists have suggested, based on their research on sweat samples taken from old people, that the production of lactic acid bacteria and glucose increases over the years. The result of their activity is carbon dioxide (CO2), which has a pungent aroma.

Scientists have come to the conclusion that the repulsive odor that appears in the elderly is a consequence of the consumption of high-calorie fatty foods.

In addition, it was noted that fresh fruits and vegetables at this age also do not benefit and form, with frequent use, an unpleasant amber. This is explained by the fact that the digestive system of the elderly works sluggishly, not like in a young body, therefore, the rotting of fresh natural gifts begins already in the stomach.

Important tip: In order for the body of an elderly person not to exude unpleasant odors, you need to eat low-calorie food, and eat fruits and vegetables thermally processed (baked, stewed, boiled). Fried food must be completely eliminated.

How to get rid of the unpleasant odor?

Russian scientists look at the problem of unpleasant odors emanating from the elderly in a more mundane way, in contrast to their foreign colleagues.

I would like to acquaint you with the opinion of Yuri Konev, Doctor of Medical Sciences, who notes that the causes of odor in people of delicate age come from the body. Based on the facts, he explains that a characteristic, heavy spirit always appears in the wards where heavy immobilized patients lie, regardless of age.

But in nursing homes with proper care for the elderly, there is no such smell. Therefore, in any case, it is important to care for the elderly and the elderly, to observe their hygiene.

The aromas of purity are important

Life tells us that in old age people do not like to take a bath. Fears of slipping affect. There are other reasons as well:

Psychological, which are explained by loneliness, lack of incentive, sometimes just laziness.

The aromas of purity are important

With age, people's skin becomes thinner, grease decreases, it becomes dry and sensitive, so washing causes unpleasant sensations.

After taking a bath or shower, the lipid film is completely washed off and the skin tightens and causes painful sensations.

At this age, ichthyosis often develops - increased peeling of the skin (especially in men). In the area of the genitals and anus, itching appears, called senile. These sensations, as a rule, often intensify after taking a shower.

But it is still necessary to observe the hygiene of your body at any age. In old age, water procedures should be carried out much more often than at a young age.

Replace your bath with a shower that you take daily or every other day, as the sweat glands gradually lose their activity with age.
Replace the soap with a cream-gel with a neutral pH, which is more gentle, which will preserve the lipid layer. After showering, apply a moisturizing gel or cream to your skin.
If you are taking a bath, then it should be with handrails so that you can hold onto them with your hands. Be sure to place a non-slip rubber mat on the bottom of the tub. If it is impossible to comply with these rules, relatives are obliged to help their elderly parents in taking water procedures.
Make the water temperature comfortable for the body. Not hot or cool, so as not to irritate the skin again.
If it is impossible to take a bath, the skin must be wiped with sanitary napkins. Wipes can be impregnated with herbal extracts with anti-inflammatory properties, natural emollients. Or for these purposes, you can purchase baby care wipes.
Dry skin requires additional intake of B vitamins contained in meat, whole grain cereals; vitamins D, A, E, which must be prescribed by a doctor. After all, it is known that not only a deficiency of vitamins is dangerous for the body, but also an excess of them.
It is important to follow the rules of personal hygiene, starting with oral hygiene: brushing your teeth, using dental floss ...

Delicate issues require special attention

Often, unpleasant odors provoke chronic diseases of people, such as gastrointestinal diseases, diabetes mellitus.

Important tip: Control your blood glucose level yourself. A device for measuring sugar levels - a glucometer, can be purchased at any pharmacy.

The appearance of an unpleasant odor in old people is sometimes associated with a violation of physiological functions. Women and men of age have problems with urinary and fecal incontinence. With age, the sense of smell of older people also dulls and sometimes, they simply do not notice the smells emanating from their bodies.

Serious and unpleasant diseases associated with urinary incontinence occur in 40% of women of advanced age, in men they are less common. But nevertheless, they are amenable to treatment and correction. The most effective way to get rid of urinary incontinence, nevertheless, is considered to be surgery (use of TVT tape), special exercises also help ... And of course, in extreme cases, you can always use diapers or absorbent pads that neutralize the odor.

How to get rid of the smell of old age in an apartment

Unpleasant odors can come not only from people, but also from unventilated things, furniture around them. Sometimes a lot of dust accumulates in the apartment. And we must not forget that almost half of the dust consists of dead particles of the epidermis, constantly exfoliating from the human skin.

Dead skin particles, being torn away from the body, settle in the folds of people's clothes, get stuck on the fibers of soft bedspreads and furniture, in carpets, rugs and rugs, accumulate along with dust in the corners of the room.

smell in the apartment

Elderly people find it difficult to wet clean, change bedding, wash and iron it and their clothes. Therefore, undergoing a process of decomposition, dead skin particles create a characteristic amber, which we call a stale, musty odor.

Perform a general cleaning of the apartment

♦ You should not use air fresheners, they do not eliminate odors, but only mask them. But moreover, they bring great harm to human health. The pleasant smells of the air fresheners hide toxic chemicals that are easily breathed into the body and absorbed through the skin.

♦ It is better to carry out a general cleaning, which should be done by the relatives of the elderly. Clean upholstered furniture, sort through all the clothes and empty the closet of all things that have not been worn for a long time. Wash the rest of the clothes using the conditioner, iron and put on the shelves. Place bags with dry herbs, orange peels, fragrant bars of soap in the cabinets.

♦ It is better to get rid of carpets and rugs completely, these are real dust collectors that require constant cleaning.

♦ If animals live in the house, they intensify these odors. After all, if an elderly person cannot take care of himself, he, of course, does not at all monitor the cleanliness of his pet.

Removing the smell in the apartment with dry fog

The Americans invented a special generator that sprays dry fog in the apartment. The smallest mist particles are produced by a unique liquid formulation. Dry fog does not settle on the surface, its particles penetrate into all hard-to-reach places: gaps between cabinets, cracks, irregularities, fabrics (even into their deep layers).
Microparticles of fog completely neutralize the unpleasant odor of the apartment, and the formed film of them prevents it from appearing again for a long time.

Unfortunately, science has not yet invented ways of eternal youth and old age in everyone's life - an inevitable natural process. Try to be more tolerant of your aging relatives and help them cope with the unpleasant symptoms of old age.

I wish you health and longevity!

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On weekends, I took out winter clothes from the closets, sent some to the wash, ventilated others, threw others in the trash, and thought that the smell of old age, in fact, sometimes happens to young people as well. Well, yes, how many times in the subway I felt quite an old man's stench from young people and even girls. Most disgusting is when this musty smell is mixed with cheap perfume. They smell of decay, mustiness, dirty linen, in general, some kind of nightmare: as Gogol delicately writes about the lackey Petrushka, "always carries with him some kind of special smell." Something seems to me that the gentlemen did not smell very well then, but maybe I am mistaken.

She began to suffer especially terribly from an exacerbation of her sense of smell two months after she quit smoking.
And how awful hungover people stink, oh, as I remember now - and what a happiness that I don't drink anymore.

I got nervous from the memories, smelled all my things, just in case, washed everything and again, already pleased, smelled.

I noticed that the last thing in the closet smelled like things that were hanging, and not lying on the shelves, and sat on the Internet, looking for where the old people and even young people generally get such an unpleasant smell and whether it can be avoided.

I have been very interested in this topic of senile smell since childhood, because I will never forget how I suffered when I forced myself to kiss my great-grandmother Dunya, who smelled awful. Until his death, Baba Dunya knitted hats, scarves, mittens, socks for the whole family, and I wore her vest until adolescence: she made grooves that could be embroidered. Granny, as I called her, was so kind, quiet, sweet that at night I cried bitterly into my pillow, because I loved her very much, but with horror I thought that I would have to kiss her again tomorrow. Shame and disgust, I will never forget them, not just love.

And I began to look for how to get rid of this nightmare. It's time to search - I can use the Internet, a lot of grandchildren, and old age can only be avoided by those who die young.

All more or less serious articles on senile odor boil down to the fact that it cannot be destroyed at all, because the day is clear, the body in old age functions differently than in youth, and the patient differently than healthy. And the old man cannot not be ill.
But in general, scientists still cannot really say anything, which they honestly admit: a person is an animal and cannot smell at all, and indeed even an iron robot smells, even if it is iron and lubricating oil, even though it is a machine! Everyone smells.

This is on the one hand. On the other hand, many foreign wealthy old people practically do not smell unpleasant, in contrast to the poor and lonely old people and, unfortunately, many old people in Russia, whom no one cares about.

But no matter how much I wanted to live with someone, so as not to smell. Although I read how the forums are pounding in hysterics that old children need to be helped. No, I don’t need such happiness! It's one thing to go to visit, another to live with relatives.

On the third hand, maybe many people don't give a damn if they smell or not, right? And they also have the right, this is their life, and if someone doesn't like sniffing them, no one forces them to communicate.

But, if you still don’t give a damn about the smell, then let’s consider, let’s not get rid of the smell of old age at all, as some researchers write, then at least what components does this stink of old age consist of and how to minimize it.
What exactly gives an unpleasant smell?

Body

1. Take a shower twice a day, and not when the old man thinks that he needs to put himself in order.

2. Wipe off only with a clean towel that does not smell of anything. Change the towel every day. sending the used one for washing.

3. After washing, use a deodorant and skin cream.

4. Brush your teeth in the morning, evening and after meals.

5. Watch your fingernails and toenails.

Cloth

4. Wear only clean underwear. In the evening, send all underwear to the wash without hesitation - whether it is dirty or not. Throw away old linen, do not fix it.

5. Make sure your clothes are clean so that they don't smell.

6. As you buy new clothes, remember to throw away the old ones.

7. All clothes should hang in the closet, not lie. Never hang worn clothes in a closet with clean clothes.

8. Do not buy expensive clothes, so that it would be a pity to wash them or throw them away.

9. The closet should always be half empty so that things in it were free.

10. Ventilate things regularly outdoors or in the room with an open window in winter or in the sun in summer.

11. Bed linen is changed once a week.

12. At home, all things should be in closets, nothing on the surface, so that dust can be easily removed. All things and souvenirs absorb the smell.

13. No carpets for easy vacuuming and mopping. Carpets absorb odor.

14. Eat healthy food: a minimum of sweet, starchy foods, nothing fried, salty, a minimum of spices, and so on. And generally limit yourself to food.

15. Take a minimum of medication.

16. Do not drink alcohol or smoke.

Lifestyle

17. Maximum movement, walking, and a minimum of sitting in front of the TV, at the computer, with a book on the couch.

I myself have lived like this for several years, but still, having quit smoking, I smelled a nasty smell from my own winter sweaters lying in the closet. Well, I washed it and hung it on hangers. I won't put them down anymore.

Here I show it.

Well, so far everything that I have read and figured out how to deal with the smell of old age, musty, disease.

If you add to my list, I will be very grateful!

From today on, I have taken it as a rule regarding shopping: if you buy a thing, throw out the same old one. For example, I bought one blouse, threw out another similar old one, hanging a new one in its place.
You look, and I will buy less. May be.

It is interesting to conduct a survey, because many did not smell the old people, as I read on the Internet. With what it can be connected?

But for myself, I found out this: the smell of old age is a complex phenomenon, where the smell of an aging body is mixed with the smell of poorly washed clothes, poorly cleaned home, poor diet and lifestyle.
Therefore, it is necessary to establish a way of life so that in old age it is convenient to take care of oneself. That is, boldly throw away old things and in general - down with plushkinism!
What do you think, friends?

In the house where the elderly live, there is often a special, specific smell. Many people notice it with their elderly relatives, but it is not accepted to talk about this sensitive topic. Let's try to find out the reasons for the phenomenon of the "grandmother's" smell and analyze the most effective ways to eliminate it.

From what appears in men and women?

It is generally accepted that senile body odor appears mainly in women, but this is not the case. Men who have reached old age also acquire their scent of old age.... It is almost impossible to get rid of the smell, since this is a physiological feature of the body.

The human body is a complex system of interaction of internal organs, glands, hormones and various systems, the work of which slows down with old age. The digestive system is more difficult to cope with heavy food, reproductive function is lost and a general restructuring of the body occurs. It was in the period of 45-50 years that the formation of a senile plume was noticed.

Recent developments of foreign scientists have revealed that nonenals are the cause of the smell.

Nonenals are special chemicals that are formed during the oxidation of omega-7 fatty acids, and their content in fatty secretions increases over the years.

In addition to the inevitable biochemical reactions of the body, other reasons contribute to the appearance of senile amber, having become familiar with which you can better understand how to get rid of an unpleasant odor.

Chronic diseases

Over the years, a person accumulates diseases that can become sources of an unpleasant odor.... Most often, the cause is intimate problems - urinary incontinence, enuresis. Elderly men and women, faced with the problem of urinary incontinence, hesitate to seek help from a specialist and mask it with additional layers of clothing or perfume.

Drop by drop during the day creates a persistent, suffocating odor from clothing, but the person himself may not notice it.

Power features

Elderly people should adhere to a diet that will help both improve the general condition of the body and remove the hated trail of aroma from the apartment. Should be added to the diet:

heat-treated vegetables;
lean meats;
various cereals;
dried fruits.

It is advisable to refuse fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as heavy fatty foods. The slowing down process of digestion cannot cope with the load, and the process of fermentation and decay begins in the stomach.

Taking medications

The consequence of the accumulated sores over life is the intake of many medications.... Combined with spices, garlic and onions, their aroma intensifies and haunts a person. Elderly people often use homeopathic methods and folk remedies, which may contain substances with a pungent, strong odor.

Hygiene

At a young age, people pay more attention to the issue of hygiene than in the headman. The reason lies in the following factors:

Physical capabilities. Often, taking a bath becomes a whole challenge for old people: high side of the bath, slippery floor, uncomfortable shower position. A person physically cannot master the hygienic procedure, and is forced to reduce it to a minimum. If there is a bedridden patient in the house, his care completely depends on the relatives or the nurse.
Skin problems. The lipid layer that covers and protects the surface of the skin from the external environment becomes thinner over the years. This leads to a feeling of dryness, tightness and irritation, which is worse after taking a bath. It is often older men who suffer from ichthyosis (peeling of the skin) and senile itching.
Psychological factor. Children have grown up and live their own lives, no need to go to work, and household chores are minimized - it seems that this is the time for a life of pleasure. But some old people begin to feel forgotten, useless, stop paying attention to appearance and hygiene.
Bed linen is changed less frequently, new clothes are not bought, and daily hygiene procedures are postponed. All this contributes to an increase in the unpleasant odor.

Cluttered premises

Older people are more sentimental about trinkets and old things, tend to stockpile and are reluctant to part with a pile of unnecessary junk. A large number of objects accumulate dust, which is mainly composed of dead skin cells.

If cleaning has not been carried out for a long time, decay processes begin, fungus may form and, as a result, a bad smell in the house, trailing behind the owner.

How to deal with this unpleasant smell in the house?

It is completely impossible to remove a specific smell, but if you follow simple recommendations, it will not cause discomfort.

Regular water treatments

Family and friends should support their elderly relative and, if possible, help to equip the bathroom for convenience and safety. It is better to replace the bathtub with a shower(it's hard for old people to step over a high board), or purchase special steps. Put an anti-slip mat on the floor of the bathtub, fix the shower holder at a convenient height.

Instead of a bath, it is advisable to take a shower, after water procedures, use creams and ointments that moisturize the skin. Soaps and gels wash away the lipid layer of the skin, so they should be discarded in a daily shower, using 1-2 times a week.

Balanced diet

Eating a simple diet will prevent putrid odors and help you feel better... On the market for culinary products, there are many devices that facilitate and speed up the cooking process - steamers, multicooker, ovens. And a variety of recipes for proper nutrition will help you create an individual menu for the elderly.

Eliminate urinary problems

The problem of involuntary urination is successfully treated with surgery in most cases. In addition, there are specific techniques and exercises to tone the pelvic floor muscles. Sanitary pads or diapers for adults can provide proper hygiene and prevent unpleasant odors from the clothes.

Healthy lifestyle

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to cure chronic diseases, but symptoms can be relieved and an improvement in overall well-being. Moderately vigorous activity, regular walks in the fresh air, frequent ventilation have a beneficial effect on the body, due to which the senile smell is not so noticeable.

Perfume

Scientists have found that a perfume with hints of citrus disguises a woman's age and is able to rejuvenate her in the eyes of men for several years. Moderate use of perfume can brighten up age-related scent and improve mood.

How to get rid of it in the apartment?

A thorough cleaning, maintaining overall cleanliness, and preventing clutter will help to cope with an unpleasant odor in an apartment.
Elderly people rarely open windows, as they are afraid of drafts and often freeze, however, it is necessary to ventilate.
It is advisable to get rid of carpets, they absorb more dust, and wash bedspreads, curtains and capes with an air conditioner.
Bed linen, pillows and duvets absorb sweat and odor and prey on prolonged contact. Bed linen is washed weekly, and pillows and blankets are washed every few months.
Clothes keep body odor for a long time, it is worth taking apart the closet and throwing away what has not been used for a long time. Wash the clothes with conditioner and transfer them with pieces of scented soap, or scented sachets.
Windows, surfaces and floors must be washed with a damp cloth, if necessary, re-glue the wallpaper - they absorb odors very well, and dust settles on their surface.

Let's talk today about a rather delicate issue: about the smell specific to the elderly.

People are not far away from animals. We, too, signal our age and health status through our body odor. But for some reason, our sense of smell is only able to clearly record the presence of an elderly person. Why is this happening: because of a cluttered house or senile diseases? Is it possible to somehow get rid of this smell?

The smell of an elderly person

Such a diagnosis does exist. The Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia has confirmed that older people do have a distinct odor. It is so recognizable that people can only identify them by their body odor.

How did you find out? We selected people of three age groups:

20-30 year olds;
45-55 year olds;
75-95 year olds.

Researchers gave all of these people special lightweight T-shirts with pads in the armpits, like for nursing mothers. Each test subject had to sleep in such a T-shirt for five nights in a row.

For the purity of the experiment, the subjects had to swim without soap and shampoo before going to bed. They were also asked to refrain from drinking alcohol, smoking and eating spicy foods, garlic, onions, or any other type of food that could affect body odor.

After five days, the pads were removed, cut into quadrants and placed in separate glass jars. Then 41 young (20 to 30 years old) participants were given two glass jars in nine combinations to rate the flavors. Participants were asked to rate the intensity and pleasantness of each scent. They also needed to either determine which sample came from an elderly person, or assess the age group to which each sample belongs.

The participants were able to distinguish the smell of older people better than younger subjects. When people tried to classify odor samples by age, they had a hard time distinguishing between young and middle-aged people, but they almost always instantly identified the smells of old people.

The Johan Lundström Experience

Interestingly, despite its uniqueness - and contrary to the stereotype - the smell of an old person is not disgusting. Participants rated it as less intense and less unpleasant than body odor from younger donors. Based on gender, participants rated the smell of middle-aged men as the most intense, and the smell of an older man as the most pleasant and least intense. In contrast, the smells of middle-aged women were rated more pleasant than the smells of older women.

“Older people have a noticeable underarm odor, which young people rated as fairly neutral and not very unpleasant,” commented Johan Lundström, a sensorineurobiologist at the Monell Center, on the study. “The experiment showed,” he said. - That, like other animals, people are able to distinguish age, focusing only on body odor. This effect is mainly associated with body odors emitted by the elderly. "

In Japan, the smell, which is unique to the elderly, is called a special word "kareishu"

Causes of a specific odor in the elderly

What we call "body odor" is actually the smell that the skin emits. This is directly related to the chemical composition of the secretion of the sebaceous and sweat glands. He also changes at different periods of life.

Although we do not realize it, the chemical formula of body odor allows you to transfer various biological and social information. So, here are encrypted signals that help choose a partner, show that a person is already ready to procreate, or, conversely, this function is no longer available to him.

A person's ability to distinguish between age by smell can be an evolutionary skill. Scientists suggest that this is similar to animal instinct. After all, when it is necessary to distinguish a young and strong partner from an old and sick individual, they are guided precisely by the sense of smell.

Why didn't the young people in the experiment described above regard kareishū as something unpleasant? The authors of the study think that age-related odors should not exactly cause negativity. Their task is to help in choosing a more suitable partner. So, a girl can pay attention to an older man, since he can give her genes that will allow her children to live longer. A young man receives a signal to bypass an elderly woman - not because she is ugly, but because she can no longer become a mother for his offspring.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology writes that the smell of an old person may be the result of 2-nonenal molecules appearing on the skin. It is an unsaturated aldehyde that provides the smell of buckwheat porridge or aged beer.

Nonenal-2 in humans is formed during the metabolism of omega-7-unsaturated fatty acids in the secretion of the sebaceous glands. Young and middle-aged people hardly have it: fatty acids are formed as a result of other reactions. But after the age of 40, the skin of both men and women begins to produce more and more of these molecules, and its natural antioxidant protection gradually deteriorates.

Nonenal-2 is a fat-soluble substance, so it stays on the skin even after washing it with water. In addition, it quickly turns out from the body on the clothes, and from there it is also difficult to wash it off.

What makes skin odor worse

In fact, leather is more than just fabric. This is the largest organ in our body. Its task is not only to protect the internal organs, but also to partially excrete waste products by the body (they are also called slags). Most of the substances formed as a result of metabolism must be excreted in the urine, bile and feces, as well as in the breath.

Deterioration of the excretory organs

As we know, things start to work worse with age. The number of working elements in the kidneys gradually decreases - chronic develops. The intestines contract worse - it develops, and toxic substances from the intestines go into the bloodstream and poison the body. Gas exchange in the lungs also deteriorates. The skin has to take over the functions of all these organs, and its smell changes.

Chronic diseases

If the smell from the body of an elderly person is rather harsh and unpleasant, this may be due to diseases:

intestines: chronic colitis or enterocolitis, dysbiosis, irritable bowel syndrome;
the adrenal glands and gonads, which are responsible for the production of testosterone (metabolites of this hormone command the sebaceous glands);
the endocrine part of the pancreas (diabetes mellitus): this changes the pH of the skin, as a result, its microflora also changes.

That is, before you just think about the "usual smell of old age" coming from a relative, exclude these diseases.

Taking medications

All drugs used by elderly people must break down into active molecules, and then be excreted in bile, urine, breath or sweat. As we said, in old age, the excretory organs no longer work so well, so the drugs are removed worse.

If the parent's body odor is already very unpleasant, talk to your doctor about whether you should reduce the dosage of drugs or exclude any of them.

Nutritional nature

Everything we eat goes through the intestines. If the food has a complex composition, it has to stay longer, being processed by various enzymes. This, combined with impaired bowel function, also affects body odor. After all, again the skin has to take on more excretory work.

An elderly person should not eat junk food, fatty, fried and spicy foods, which increase the load on the intestines and, subsequently, on the skin.

Hygiene problems

The older a person is, the thinner and more vulnerable his skin is. It is prone to peeling and rapid loss of the surface protective film. When an elderly person takes a bath, he does not get the same feeling of cleanliness as before. On the contrary, washing is accompanied by unpleasant sensations: increased dryness, tightness, itching in the anus and genitals. To reduce the discomfort, the elderly person tries to wash less often. This enhances the already unpleasant odor from the body.

There is one more feature: with age, the pelvic floor muscles weaken. This means that urinary or even fecal incontinence develops. Such odors are added to the general mixture of a rarely washed body.

To top it off, from the age of 55, the sense of smell begins to deteriorate. Up to 70 years of age, presbyosmia develops in 24.5%, after 70 to 80 years of age, a third of people lose their sense of smell. This is due to a decrease in the number of special nerve cells that transmit aromas to the brain and cannot be prevented. Consequently, the elderly person does not feel the amber from his body and does not understand that there is some problem with him.

The nature of the habits

In old age, people often live alone. They already have almost no joy in life, and if there is no contact with younger relatives, then they can completely fall into. In this case, they find an "outlet" in the accumulation of things. They surround themselves with rugs, pillows, ottomans and other soft items that are very difficult to wash. In combination with the fact that many elderly people are simply afraid of drafts and rarely open cabinets, this helps to concentrate the “smell of old age” in the house.

A similar love for the accumulation of things is found in the elderly. In such conditions, the smell from 2-nonenal, and other substances from human skin, is also perfectly concentrated in the apartment.

In addition, blood circulation in the body deteriorates with age. An elderly person gets cold and tries to wrap himself up in warm clothes. It is these clothes that are washed less often, because not everyone has about 6-10 woolen or terry sweaters and pants in stock. And if there is, then not every old man will be ready to change it in time - after all, “you have to save money”. Consequently, these things are carriers of a more concentrated scent.

What to do with the smell of old age?

An integrated approach is needed here, aimed at:

and to improve personal hygiene;
and on the optimization of nutrition - according to the existing diseases and conditions;
and on the morale of an elderly person.

Therefore, the tips are as follows:

Personal hygiene

The bathroom must be safe. Then the elderly person will have more desire to wash. For this:

put a rubber mat in the bath;
nail the handrails on the wall above the bathroom;
create a comfortable place near the head end of the bath so that you can put shampoos, soaps there.

In old age, it is best to take not a bath, but a shower, preferably a contrast shower. In this case, the lipid film is not washed off as much. Also, make the shower water warm, not hot. Better yet, take a contrast shower.

To wash your body, you don't need a shower gel, but some kind of pH-neutral soap, for example, a baby soap. It is not necessary to rub the body strongly; it is better to use a soft sponge-mesh. After showering, apply a non-greasy body cream to your skin.

If an elderly relative suffers from urinary incontinence, you need to consult with a urologist about the treatment of this condition. In the meantime, buy special urological pads while you go there.

If bathing is impossible, it is impossible to leave an elderly person without hygiene measures. Even not so much to eliminate odor as to prevent pressure sores. Therefore, take clean gauze, make a decoction of chamomile or string, and wipe off your relative's body.

Do not forget about oral hygiene: brushing your teeth alone is not enough, you also need to clean your tongue and use floss. You can also look for Otoko Kaoru special resin or similar. She cleans the teeth and makes the body give off a pleasant aroma.

Diet

It is important that fatty, fried and spicy foods are excluded from the diet of an elderly person. Foods containing trans fats are also excluded. But foods containing fiber should be as much as possible.

See the basic principles of the diet.

If a relative has diabetes, remember to check his blood sugar before eating. For this it will help.

Elimination of odor in the apartment

To remove the smell in the apartment:

be sure to dry-clean carpets and upholstered furniture;
wash clothes, bedding, blankets as often as possible. Use fabric softener;
spread sachets with fragrant herbs around the apartment: lavender, mint, oregano, thyme;
light the aroma lamp periodically using citrus aromatic oils or incense sticks;
use a dry fog generator.

Incredible facts

There is a special chemical compound that is responsible for the odor characteristic of an elderly person. It is called 2-nonenal, and the body begins to produce it after 30 years.

This chemical compound is an unsaturated colorless aldehyde that causes a special chemical reaction in our body.

As we age, the production of fatty acids increases in our skin, while the production of antioxidants inevitably decreases. Fatty acids are oxidized after production, thereby significantly increasing the volume of 2-nonenal.

The smell of old age

This is the explanation for the oily herbaceous scent that is so difficult to wash off. Lipids cannot dissolve in water, and therefore the heavy odor caused by fatty acids is incredibly difficult to wash off.

Let's talk a little more about what changes, including body odor, occur in our body with age.

Many of us are familiar with this smell: it can often be found in the homes of our grandparents, in nursing homes, and in other places where the elderly are constantly. Very often this smell is attributed to poor hygiene, but in reality, as we said above, it is an integral component of our body odor, which appears with age.

The smell of old age from the body

Between the ages of 30 and 40, our skin begins to suffer from the deterioration of its antioxidant defenses. Also, the production of nonenal is facilitated by hormonal changes that occur with age in both the male and female body.

That is, as the skin becomes weaker, its natural oils oxidize faster, producing nonenal. Since it is not water-soluble, nonenal remains on the skin despite regular hygiene procedures. Therefore, the smell persists on the body and on clothes, even in the cleanest environment.

Is it possible to get rid of nonenal?

Just as with regular body odor, a healthy lifestyle can minimize the production of nonenal. That is, it is about exercising regularly, avoiding stress, not smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, eating clean food and drinking plenty of water, and getting enough rest.

When it comes to personal care products, many deodorants are often used when creating regular soaps to eliminate unpleasant odors, such as ammonia (found in urine), trimethylamine and sulfide oxygen (found in feces and urine), propionic acid (found in sweat) and isovaleric acid (an unpleasant component of bad-smelling feet).

But all of these ingredients are ineffective at eliminating or neutralizing nonenal.

Senile smell

One Japanese skincare brand claims to have found a natural combination that can help: persimmon and green tea. The tannins in persimmon extract help break down and flush out the nonenal, while the antioxidants in green tea are believed to detoxify the skin and prolong the deodorant effects.

This company offers this combination in a whole line of different products.

Personal hygiene in adulthood

Of course, good hygiene habits are not 100 percent effective against nonenal, but they can still minimize other unpleasant odors and prevent health problems.

Even opening the windows regularly in the house will help expel old air, making way for fresh air. However, an older person tends to complicate things, becoming more difficult over the years.

The truth about the "smell of old age" is that it is a natural part of the aging process, and there should be no people who would be ashamed of it. Someone does not like the smell, but many people associate this smell with favorite memories of their grandmothers, grandfathers, and parents.

Society should encourage open discussion about age-related changes in order to minimize the stigma surrounding aging and ensure that the public has access to the information they need to adopt healthy habits.

The smell of old age or why older people smell

A few more facts about human smell.

1. Illness, like taking medication, changes a person's odor. Older people are more likely to take medications than young people. Other factors also affect body odor. For example, eating garlic is known to negatively affect the way we smell.

2. Some drugs increase sweating, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants. Medical conditions that affect body odor: diabetes, hyperthyroidism, liver disease, kidney disease, schizophrenia, and menopause.

3. The majority of older people bathe and change their clothes less often. Very often this happens due to the fact that they have a fear of falling to the floor, or it may be difficult for them. Therefore, loved ones should pay attention to this and help as needed.

4. Our sense of smell, along with other senses, dulls with age. As a result, the elderly person may not be able to identify the unpleasant smell on their own, or they may apply too much perfume or cologne on themselves.

5. Oral hygiene strongly affects a person's odor. As we age, the amount of saliva produced in our mouths decreases significantly, thereby reducing the natural defense against bad breath. Periodontal disease is common in older people and causes halitosis (bad breath). Bridges and prostheses can also trap fungi and bacteria, which can lead to musty odors and infections.

6. With age, a person loses the ability to feel dehydrated. Because the pituitary gland sends weaker signals of thirst, older people tend to drink less water. Dehydration causes sweat and urine to smell stronger, and your skin also smells unpleasant.

7. Older people, as a rule, own older things, which means that their property has managed to become overgrown with different smells. And if a person lives surrounded by old smells, then he also carries this smell on himself.

There is also an interesting theory that the need to recognize the age of our distant ancestors by smell was of an evolutionary nature, because an elderly person is no longer able to continue the race. But it is not clear what impeded the visual determination of age.

It is likely that they recognized not only age by smell, but also the state of human health, because in case of serious illnesses, our body emits a specific smell, and old age and illness almost always go alongside.

Proponents of this theory, as evidence, say that certain representatives of the animal world just use the outgoing smell to calculate the age of congeners. For example, rodents. Is there any chance that humans have retained this ability?