Many people say that no one really knows when they're going to die, but based on a new study, that may not be entirely true. It turns out that your sense of smell-or the lack of it-can be a very good indicator whether you'll die or not within the next five years.
The study now available in PLOS ONE involved over 2,500 old adults between the ages of 57 to 85 years old. It began in 2005 when the participants were subjected to a specific smelling test called Sniffin' Sticks. This involved the use of special types of pens carrying certain odors that included orange, leather, rose, fish, orange, and peppermint. Each of the subjects then had to identify the smell correctly.
During the initial assessment, more than 75% of them had a normal sense of smell since they're able to correctly guess at least 4 of the odors. Around 3%, meanwhile, can't properly smell all 5 scents or can identify only one.
By 2010 and 2011, the team revisited the study as a follow-up, in which around 400 of the subjects during the first test had already died. Adjusting other variables such as overall health condition, age, and use of alcohol and smoking, they discovered that a significant number of those who scored the least in the smelling test were more than likely to die within 5 years, an equivalent of 39%. Meanwhile, those with keen sense of smell or adults who had guessed the most scents correctly had a 10% chance of dying within the same period.
While the research didn't point out that loss of smell leads to death, it may be a sign of a serious health trouble that has to be addressed as soon as possible, especially if the loss is prolonged. Further, they are confident that their study may be used to devise an affordable medical exam that can help doctors determine the patients who are at a greater health risk.