While the elderly do, in fact, have a specific smell, its not always a bad one, a new study from researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia suggests. Lead researcher Johan Lundstrom and his team published their findings this week in the journal PLoS One.
According to Lundstrom senior citizens "do have a characteristic odor, but it's not a negative odor." He told WebMd.com "the negative association with old people's body odor seems to come from our negative association with old age."
Lundstrom sampled body odors from 12 to 16 men and women in each of three age groups - 20 to 30, 45 to 55, and 75 to 95. Each participant slept overnight with scent collecting pads under their arms, which were then tested by a group of people aged 20 to 30.
Lundstrom said though the testers could pick out the older scents, they were not considered the worst.
"The majority could categorize old body odor as old. They were not as good at picking out the odor of younger people," he said. "There is something with the body odor that is helping to associate age."
"The worst-smellers are middle-aged men. The ones who smelled the most beautiful are middle-aged women," Lundstrom added.
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