We have all thought that older people have a peculiar smell. Many call it "old man smell". It is difficult to describe, but it can be summed up by saying that it is a somewhat musty smell. Many people associate this smell with a lack of cleanliness. However, although the smell is real, it is not due to a lack of hygiene.
The chemist José María Antón, an expert in biotechnology from the CSIC, explained in an interview in El País that this peculiar smell is due to a particular molecule. This odor is caused by 2-nonenal, a molecule that is generated in the skin when the fatty acids of the lipid barrier are naturally oxidized. The 2-nonenal smells really bad and is the cause of the unpleasant smell.
The radiologist Ena Mondragón has addressed this issue in one of her latest videos on Tik Tok. In it, she agrees with Antón that the cause of this smell is not due to any lack of hygiene.
In addition, he points out that washing up does not solve the problem and that not all fragrances are capable of masking this natural and unpleasant odor that bodies give off.
Both experts agree that the smell of an old man can begin to reproduce after the age of 30, when the human body begins to gradually lose its antioxidant capacities.
“The hormonal changes of maturity result in an increase in the production of lipids on the skin's surface. At the same time, our natural antioxidant capacity is being reduced”, concludes Antón.
