In a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago, they asked 3,000 adults between the ages 57 and 85 to undergo a smell test to predict how long will they live. They found out that 39% of persons with poorest smell test results ended up dead in five years compared to 10% who made it good in their smell test.
They asked the respondents to identify materials through their sense of smell. Materials used were peppermint, orange, leather, fish and rose scents encased on felt tip pens. They also assessed the respondents' age, nutrition, smoking habits, poverty and overall health but found out that those with poorest sense of smell are at most risk.
According to the lead researcher, Professor Jayant Pinto, "The sense of smell is like the canary in the coal mine. It doesn't directly cause death, but it is a harbinger, an early warning system that shows damage may have been done. Our findings could provide a useful clinical test, a quick inexpensive way to identify patients most at risk," she told BBC news.
The study has proven a possibility that decreased sense of smell has something to do with death. It is not exactly clear how loss of smell leads to reduced lifespan. However, researchers think that loss of smell and the ability of the body to regenerate and repair its cells have a link. The sense of smell entails continuous turnover and regeneration of cells in the lining of the nose.
The body degenerates as time passes by. As the person ages, the ability of the body to regenerate and repair the cells is reduced. Hence, when the sense of smell is diminished, it means that the body is starting to lose its capabilities for human processes. However, the researchers are encouraging further studies on this topic.