‘Old People Smell’ Is Real. Here’s How to Get Rid of It.

There’s a reason “old people smell” is instantly recognizable—and it has nothing to do with bad hygiene. The scent, a stale blend of must, cardboard, and something vaguely metallic, isn’t caused by skipped showers or mothballs. It’s biological. And according to experts, it gets worse with age because of what’s happening inside the body.

Leslie Kenny, a certified Bulletproof coach and founder of Oxford Healthspan, told the New York Post that the source of the odor is a compound called 2-nonenal, a byproduct of fat oxidation on the skin. “Old people smell comes from lipid peroxidation on top of the skin,” she explained. “It’s basically sebum that has rusted.” As we age, our skin produces fewer antioxidants and turns over cells more slowly—so that rusty scent sticks around.

You can’t scrub it away, either. “The smell lingers,” Kenny said. “You can’t mask it with perfume. It just creates a musty combo.” Even daily showers won’t solve it because the root issue isn’t dirt; it’s a chemical process happening beneath the surface.

‘Old People Smell’ Is Real, But You Can Get Rid of It With This Food

But Kenny believes there is a solution, and it starts with what’s on your plate. More specifically, mushrooms. Mushrooms are packed with ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant that helps stop lipid peroxidation in its tracks. They’re also rich in spermidine, a natural compound that kicks off autophagy—your body’s internal cleanup crew, which clears out damaged cells and encourages new ones to grow.

Together, ergothioneine and spermidine work to slow aging, protect against disease, and dial down the funk. “Mushrooms are the perfect food to combat this smell,” Kenny said. While all varieties have benefits, shiitake and oyster mushrooms are especially high in the right nutrients.

The perks go beyond scent, too. Studies suggest mushrooms may lower your risk of cognitive decline, improve insulin resistance, strengthen bones, and reduce the risk of certain cancers. In Japan and China, mushroom extracts are even used alongside traditional cancer treatments due to their immune-supporting properties.

So, if you’re trying to smell less like a decomposing library and more like a fully-functioning human being, mushrooms might be your new best friend. Kenny recommends incorporating them early—especially during hormonal shifts like perimenopause. But it’s never too late. For once, fighting old age might be as easy as ordering extra shiitake on your stir-fry.