Losing Smell Sense May Lead to Earlier Death

Recently, a report revealed by the U.S. researchers stating that, the losing ability to smell might be associated to the higher risks of death.

Researchers have studied more than 3,000 people aging 57 to 85 discovered that 39% of the patients, who failed in the smell test died within 5 years. Reuters reported, the findings of the study were published in the journal ‘Science’ PLOS ONE on Oct.1.

Dr. Jayant Pinto, the study’s lead author, told Reuters that, “A person with the normal sense of smell as compared to the one with absent sense of smell has 3 times higher chances of dying within the 5 years time span.”

Dr. Jayant Pinto is an associate professor of surgery at the University of Chicago’s medical department.

He further stated that, “Te sense of smell actually indicates your overall health status.”

39% of the patients, who passed away within the time period of 5 years, scored less in the smell test, creating 4 or 5 errors. This is comparable to the 19% with the moderate sense of smell and just above 10% with good sense of smell, creating 0 to 1 errors.

The odor in the test included rose, leather, peppermint, fish and orange. Those people who have poor sense of smell are at the greatest risk and for this purpose other factors such as age, nutrition; smoking habits and poverty are considered.

The loss of the sense of smell is like the canary in the coal mine. It did not directly cause death, but it’s a portent, and just an early warning that something has gone wrong said by pinto. Scientists are doing more research to study this link and they conclude that losing the ability to smell means less regeneration and cell repair in the body and a poor sense of smell is a reflection of lifetime’s experience to bugs and pollution.

A consultant head and neck surgeon who is the honorary secretary of ENT UK, Nirmal Kumar an organization for ear, nose and throat specialists, says that, people losing their sense of smell should not panic; the study was motivating but questioned the consistency of the smell test used.