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Orange County, CA - May 1st, 2019 - New research discovered a defective sense of smell in the elderly predicts an early death.
The study showed older people with a declining sense of smell had an increased 46 percent risk of death ten years after olfactory abilities were tested, compared to those who passed the smell test. Further, 28 percent of an increased risk of death could be connected to dementia, Parkinson's, and unintentional weight loss. All attributes show early death on their own and can also affect a person's sense of smell.
Research authors from Michigan State University wrote in the study which appears in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine:
“The remaining 72% of the risk linking a poor sense of smell and death is unexplained and may be due to subtle health conditions that eventually worsen.”
“The remaining 72% of the risk linking a poor sense of smell and death is unexplained and may be due to subtle health conditions that eventually worsen.”
Unlike losing hearing or eye-sight, loss of smell usually goes unnoticed; roughly a quarter of older Americans experience a decline in the sense of smell. Previous studies linked a decline of smell with a higher risk of an early death within ten years. However, the study did not oversee specific demographics such as race and sex, or health traits that might clarify the relationship between sensory loss and death.
The new research collected data from a long-standing study between 1997 and 1998, of 3,000 elderly individuals who were 70 to 79 years of age. Of the 3,000 elderly individuals, 2,300 completed the smell test which asked them to pinpoint twelve familiar smells at the start of the research. All participants remained in the study until 2014 or their death, whichever came first.
Results showed that in the 13 years of the study, 1,200 study participants died. The researchers found that those with a poor score on the olfaction test had a 46% higher risk of dying by year 10 and a 30% higher risk of dying by year 13, compared with those who had a good score.
“The stronger association at year 10 compared to year 13 was likely because the participants were already into their 70s and nearing the end of their life spans. By year 13, many were dying regardless of their sense of smell or health status early in the study.” The researchers wrote.
“The stronger association at year 10 compared to year 13 was likely because the participants were already into their 70s and nearing the end of their life spans. By year 13, many were dying regardless of their sense of smell or health status early in the study.” The researchers wrote.
