Elderly People With A Poor Sense Of Smell Are At A Greater Risk Of Losing Life Within Five Years, FInds Study

A new study has found that elderly people's ability to smell can predict their life span. It also found that those people who have a poor sense of smell would possibly not live by five more years.

The study, published in the PLOS One journal, analysed the olfactory capabilities of 3,000 older Americans, aged between 57 and 85 years. They were made to smell odours of peppermint, oranges, roses or leather that were encased on the tips of felt-tip pens. The study found those who were incapable of detecting the odours were at a greater risk of losing their lives in the coming years than those who could detect the odours with ease.

After 5 years, they found that 39 percent of the adults who were incapable of detecting the odours during the assessment or those with really poor sense of smell had passed away. Only 19 percent and 10 percent from the moderate sense of smell and healthy sense of smell groups, respectively, had passed away.

According to the BBC, researchers also took into account factors such as smoking habits, nutrition, age, poverty and other influencing factors but found that despite these factors, those with the lowest sense of smell had the greatest risk of losing their lives. The condition in which people are unable to sense odours is called anosmia, which the research states is a predictor of death.

Researchers stated a loss of the ability to smell does not cause death, but it is a strong "warning sign." Lead scientist Dr Jayant Pinto, a specialist in nasal disorders from the University of Chicago, stated the study results came as a shock as there is no known link betweenone's sense of smell and his life span. Though the research indicates a connection between the two, he states they do not know how they are related and further research is being conducted to find the link.

So far, researchers state the only logical explanation they find is decreased ability to identify odours indicate a declining ability to regenerate new cells or repair cells. It could also mean the individual has been exposed to too much pollution, diseases or toxins that may have caused the loss of smell and also results in the loss of life.

Pinto, however, states that a decrease in the ability to smell could be due to many reasons, and people must not think they are about to die. Even allergy, cold, sinus problem and many other conditions can cause the problem, but a long-term problem is something that one must take seriously, he advises.

Pamela Dalton, a scientist at the nonprofit Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, who was not involved in the study, stated that most often, the sense of smell is underappreciated by people. Agreeing with the study, she stated that smell detection problems are a warning sign for future health problems. Pinto advises that one must consult a physician if they experience long-term problems with their sense of smell.