Contrary to harmful stereotypes of older people, age-related changes in body odor likely have nothing to do with personal hygiene. Instead, experts think it’s the result of odor compounds and bacteria interacting on the skin.
As our skin matures, its natural antioxidant protection declines. This decline results in greater oxidation of lipid acid. When lipid acid is oxidized, the chemical compound nonenal is produced, giving off the “old people smell” that many of us are familiar with.
Generational scents are fairly common; think ‘’baby smell’’ or ‘’teenage boy’’ scent. While the scent is perfectly normal, one way to help offset the scent is to avoid wearing the same clothes repeatedly without having washed them.