# Familiar foods suddenly developing an "off" taste anything to be concerned about? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2002, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363 "2002-10-08T14:47:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/1 "2002-10-08T14:47:47Z")
Some foods (not all) I been eating for years are begnning to develop a slightly “off” taste compared to my sensory memory of what they should taste like. I haven’t changed my current diet substantially, I am a 44 year old male non-smoker and I am not on medications or supplements of any kind, nor do I have any dental problems I am aware of. Is this this just a sign of getting older (ie less taste buds) or potentially something more serious? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![effac3d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@effac3d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/effac3d)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/2 "2002-10-08T15:00:55Z")
Is it a faint almond taste? Has your SO recently taken out a large life insurance policy? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/3 "2002-10-08T15:06:13Z")
If it’s a fairly sudden change, it could be something like a minor sinus infection. If it’s been a more gradual change, I’m stumped. ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/4 "2002-10-08T15:13:06Z")
Hmm, are you sure you’re not pregnant? But seriously. Maybe you’re coming down with something? The only times that’s ever happened to me are when I’m pregnant (which I know you’re not, being male) or when I was sick–colds, sinus infection as **Early Out** suggested, etc. Also, depending on the foods, if they’re processed, pre-made type things, maybe the formula has been changed, or they’ve changed an ingredient, like Coke going from cane sugar to corn syrup, which I know a lot of people can taste. ---
**Author:** ![jawdirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@jawdirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jawdirk)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/5 "2002-10-08T18:10:29Z")
Has your appetite decreased? ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/6 "2002-10-08T19:05:42Z")
See, e.g.,: [http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/24822/29819.html](http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/24822/29819.html) There seems to be some debate among the learned as to whether the proper spelling is dysgeusia or dysguesia – so you might search on both. The bottom line seems to be that a host of serious and nonserious changes could cause it – medications, gingivitis, hormones, brain tumors. If it’s significant enough that you’ve noticed it, mentioning it to your doctor is probably not a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/7 "2002-10-08T22:19:07Z")
My sister-in-law, who has multiple sclerosis, has this problem. It started when she first started losing her ability to walk – she collapsed one day and hit her head, hard, against the countertop. Ever since then, some things taste funny. For example, she can’t eat iceberg lettuce because it tastes minty to her. You didn’t mention hitting your head, and you probably don’t have MS, so I’m sure this isn’t helpful. But I always thought it was interesting. ---
**Author:** ![plain\_jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@plain\_jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plain_jane)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/8 "2002-10-09T01:30:00Z")
Do you just mean slightly off, or they’ve developed an entirely different taste or subtaste? (Like the nuance is different. I don’t know how to word that.) I’ve noticed some foods don’t taste the same as I remember them tasting before. Bananas for one. I don’t know if it’s aging, or perhaps the way they’re being harvested/processed. A few friends have said the same thing, but of course, we’re all in the same age group. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/9 "2002-10-09T02:35:14Z")
It’s probably just normal change in tastebuds with ageing, **Astro**. Tho I can’t rule out a sinus infection, or brain tumor either (much less likely, tho). Gettin’ older ain’t fer sissies! But it beats most other options. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/10 "2002-10-09T06:56:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > \*\*It’s probably just normal change in tastebuds with ageing, **Astro**. Tho I can’t rule out a sinus infection, or brain tumor either (much less likely, tho). > > Gettin’ older ain’t fer sissies! But it beats most other options. \*\* Well… um gosh … uhh thanks QTM … for the low tumor odds. :eek: Seriously thanks to everyone for the input. The main difference is a seeming lack of ummm… a sort of _sweetness_ is the best way to describe it, that was there before, along with a slightly increased harshness in taste. As QTM said it’s probably age as the taste buds wither away to a precious few. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/11 "2002-10-09T07:23:48Z")
Happened to me once, freaked out for several months, saw a doctor, turned out to be a sinus infection, took drugs, and it cleared up. ---
**Author:** ![Theobroma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@Theobroma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theobroma)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-foods-suddenly-developing-an-off-taste-anything-to-be-concerned-about/131363/12 "2002-10-09T07:56:22Z")
Happened to my mother, turned out she had a uterine tumor. Surprise! After the hysterectomy–about a month after–her normal taste sense returned. Don’t mean to diagnose or worry you…sinus infection is much more likely. But…bad things are possible. Maybe it’s time for a general checkup. Best of luck and hope it’s all good news!