A Drop In This Sense Could Be a Sign of Decline
The good news: you might be able to reverse it.
Reported by Women's Health Magazine.
You probably don't spend much time thinking about your sense of smell—until it starts slipping. But according to Women's Health Magazine, a recent study published in JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery found something worth paying attention to: people with declining olfactory function showed faster physical deterioration over time, signaling that what happens in your nose might tell you something important about what's happening in the rest of your body.
Researchers analyzed data from over 5,400 adults aged 65 and older, measuring their ability to identify 12 different scents alongside standard physical markers like grip strength, balance, and walking speed. The correlation was striking. Those with poor smell scores also had weaker overall physical performance—and their decline accelerated faster over seven years compared to peers with intact olfactory abilities. "We witness this all the time," says Dr. David Cutler, a family medicine physician at Providence Saint John's Health Center. But here's the catch: the study identified a relationship, not a cause.
Why Your Nose Could Predict Your Strength
The theories are fascinating. Olfactory neurons regenerate throughout your lifetime; a dimming ability to smell might reflect compromised regenerative capacity across your entire system. Smell loss also appears early in neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's—both brutal drivers of physical decline. There's also the blunt reality: a weakened sense of smell makes food less appetizing, potentially triggering poor nutrition, weight loss, and muscle wasting. Dr. Kai Zhao from Ohio State notes that these systems are interconnected at a cellular level in ways we're still untangling.
The frustrating part? Most doctors don't routinely test smell. Dr. Anna Kucharska-Newton from UNC argues this should change: incorporating olfaction screening into standard care could catch early warning signs of cognitive and physical decline before they spiral. In the meantime, you can actually train your sense of smell. Olfactory exercises—sniffing distinct scents like rose, lemon, or eucalyptus regularly—demonstrably improve function. Less formally, just enjoy food, wine, and fragrance intentionally. Treat underlying issues like allergies or chronic conditions. And do the unsexy fundamentals: eat well, move your body, stay current on vaccines, monitor your metabolic markers.
Your sense of smell isn't destiny—but it might be a useful early signal that something needs attention.
Read the original at Women's Health Magazine.
