It happened again – you didn’t smell the toast burning.  Yesterday you visited a friend who had just made a pot of coffee but you could only smell a faint whiff of the aroma.  You realize your sense of smell is not like it used to be.

There is a condition many of us will develop as we grow older – anosmia.  This normal and common condition is the loss of sensitivity to smells.  Once our sense of smell diminishes, another sense that is closely tied with our ability to smell is our ability to taste. 

Most of us are aware that changes in vision and hearing are very common with age but impairment of smell and taste can be just as difficult to live with and accept. Loss of our smell and taste can be a gradual loss over time but for some, it almost seems to happen overnight. 

Why does our sense of smell become less with age?

For most of us, the gradual loss of smell usually does not begin until, on average, during your 60s.  When the sense of smell really begins to decline is more likely during the 70s and 80s when there is some degree of loss in the majority of people of those ages. 

A loss of being able to smell with age is due to a number of factors.  One is the fact that our ability to smell depends on a healthy lining of the nasal cavity, open nasal passageways, and normal function of the olfactory (smell) nerves.  Any problem with one or more of these can lead to a loss of smell.  The common causes are nasal problems, like nasal polyps, blocked sinuses, and seasonal allergies.  Anytime you notice a major change in your sensation of smell, mention it to your doctor at your next visit.  These can be detected by a routine examination, but for a more extensive exam, you may need to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist.

One other factor to consider for a change in the ability to smell is there could be a problem with part of the nervous system responsible for smell.  Some studies have suggested that loss of smell could be an early sign of a neurodegenerative disease, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.  However, a recent study of 1,430 people (average age about 80) showed that 76% of people with anosmia had normal cognitive functions at the study’s end. 

You do not have to be elderly to have anosmia.  Losses in smell and taste can happen at any age.  Causes could include head trauma, nasal and sinus blockages and even the common cold. 

Is loss of smell a big deal?

The short answer is yes.  Even though vision and hearing changes get the most attention, our ability to smell and also ultimately to taste, are often overlooked and unappreciated. 

Think about it – when you are unable to smell well, this can put you at risk for everything from accidentally eating spoiled food to dying in undetected fire and gas leaks.  Our sense of smell not only allows pleasing aromas making life gratifying but also warns us of potential dangers harming our health. 

Plus much of our pleasure in tasting food strongly relies on being able to smell it.  If you can’t smell the delicious, enticing aromas of freshly baked bread or of tantalizing grilled chicken, suddenly eating becomes much less enjoyable.  When this happens, some elderly people may lose their appetite leading to weight loss or they may gorge themselves on unhealthy sweet, salty, or fatty foods hoping the next bite will taste better.

How to make eating more enjoyable with anosmia

Probably one of the most frustrating fallouts of a decline in being able to smell, is losing enjoyment of eating.  Here are a few tips to help make the experience more pleasant:

·      Enhance the aroma and flavor of your food by adding herbs and spices.  Concentrated extracts of herbs such as basil, oregano, and garlic can intensify the flavor.  Even a squeeze of lemon can help.  However, resist the urge to load up on sugar and salt.

·      Indulge your other senses such as sight by adding color and texture to meals.  Make a green salad more alluring by adding bright red pepper strips, sliced carrots and shredded red cabbage.

·      Chew your food slowly, taking the time to breathe in aromas through your nose

·      Make sure your smoke detectors are working and also have alarms not only for odorless carbon monoxide but also for natural and propane gas, especially if you have gas appliances.