Taste adventures: When dysgeusia takes center stage in health
Today I will teach you about a quirky topic that many of us encounter at some point on our health journeys called dysgeusia. It’s when your favorite food suddenly doesn't taste quite right. Some foods that are sweet or salty taste bland, or other foods you eat taste metallic or bitter. It will lead to low appetite and weight loss, but not cachexia.
Even the tasteless things (like mashed potatoes) can be perceived as gross. It’s not a taste hallucination; it’s a distortion — but your mind doesn’t know it. You’d swear on your life it was rancid, even though no one else around you tastes what you do!
Imagine sipping on a glass of juice but it tastes like you've dipped your tongue into some rusty nails. Hmm, that example may not be ideal because if your water tastes metallic you could have iron overload! But, you get the point: something neutral is perceived to taste awful!
Dietary supplements should be neutral — especially if you’re taking a capsule versus a tablet that’s coated. But even these taste “bad" to someone with dysgeusia! They may taste metallic, rancid or bitter to you. Trust me, it's not a conspiracy; have someone else try the capsules to prove it to you!
Why does it occur? There are many reasons and even some medical conditions. During the pandemic, many COVID-19 patients found their taste and smell sensations were completely off, or turned off altogether! The familiar became bizarre, making post-recovery dining a culinary disgust! Hypothyroidism (where your thyroid pretty much goes on vacation) also will mess with your taste buds, making sweet and salty foods taste funky. The problem is temporary in both of those conditions.
Nevertheless, let’s get practical with four strategies that might help.
Stay informed and calm: Understand that dysgeusia is a sensory adventure, not a permanent flavor makeover.
Have good oral hygiene: Make dental floss your best friend. Go to a dentist for a deep cleaning and check-up because infections and gum disease cause dysgeusia. Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day. Good oral hygiene is important for fresh breath and normal tongue health.
Tweak your diet: Experiment with different flavors and textures. Certain tastes can counteract the strange ones. Try ginger ale or club soda because the fizziness is distracting. Foods that don’t have to be cooked (like sandwiches) might be easier to stomach.
Stay hydrated: A dry mouth and dehydration can amp up the taste distortions. Drink plenty of water or electrolytes to keep yourself in balance.
Some medications and medical conditions are known to cause dysgeusia, but no one may have told you. Blood pressure pills are high on the list. I have a more complete list of the biggest offending medications and conditions in the longer version of this article at my website, suzycohen.com. Sign up for my free newsletter and I’ll email it to you.
Remember, dysgeusia is not usually permanent, but often just a short-term side effect.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Taste adventures: When dysgeusia takes center stage in health
