# Why Is My Sense of Taste So Dull? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 27, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462 "2009-04-27T03:20:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/1 "2009-04-27T03:20:04Z")
For most of my adult life especially, my sense of taste has been very dull. It actually seemed to get duller as I grew older. At one time I could tell the difference between Pepsi and Coke. Now they just both taste sweet to me, with maybe a hint of the cola taste I used to be able to discern (actually, I taste a slight “fruity” overtone with Coke, but I digress). Why would my sense of taste be so dull? I did ask my doctor about it once. But he was no help. He just said something vague about it might being due to the medicines I take (I do take alot of medicines, but this started when I was a young adult **before** I started taking most of the medicines I do now). So what could be causing it? Thank you in advance to all who reply:) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/2 "2009-04-27T05:15:10Z")
Strangely, the older I get, the more sensitive my sense of taste is. Foods that I used to enjoy are now too sweet or too salty or too sour. And my sense of smell and gag reflex are more sensitive too. I also take lots of meds, but I don’t remember when this started. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/3 "2009-04-27T05:51:26Z")
I know that there IS a difference in taste between Pepsi and Coke, meaning I could probably tell one from the other if blindfolded, but I’d be hard pressed to tell you which was which. They are far too similar in taste for me to care. My wife on the other hand has twice now, in different years almost gagged because I brought home kosher Coke. The difference being that it’s sweetened with sucrose made from sugar cane instead of high fructose corn syrup. Her taste buds are apparently that fine-tuned. I’m pretty much the same with most normal beer, normal as in your standard off-the-shelf North American lagers and ales. Sure there’s some taste differences between them but not enough for me to really care much or identify any one of them by taste. In order to really taste food I add hot sauce, of some sort, to most meals. I wouldn’t wreck a good steak or anything, but chicken, pork, spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, and almost anything really is fair game. Maybe I burned out my taste buds with hot sauce, as my wife asserts. Or maybe I add hot sauce in order to gain some lacking flavour? Are you a hot sauce person? ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/4 "2009-04-27T05:54:23Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Are you a hot sauce person? Actually I am, but for another interesting reason. My food seems so tasteless to me, if not for the mild burning sensation in my mouth from the sauce, I would sense absolutely nothing. Weird, no? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/5 "2009-04-27T05:55:17Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Actually I am, but for another interesting reason. My food seems so tasteless to me, if not for the mild burning sensation in my mouth from the sauce, I would sense absolutely nothing. Weird, no? I think we’re onto something here. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/6 "2009-04-27T05:59:41Z")
By the way, my father had totally lost his sense of taste and smell by the time he was in his mid-70s. According to his doctor, this is not unusual and seems to happen with men more than women. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/7 "2009-04-27T11:34:36Z")
Having a problem with your sinuses can cause taste problems. Having surgery on the nose can kill your sense of taste completely. The surgery happened to somebody I knew (not a nose job) and they couldn’t smell stuff that would make you retch from the smell. My taste buds go from super sensitive to can’t taste much depending on haw I’m doing health wise. It doesn’t take much to mess up your sense of taste. The most annoying problem is when everything tastes like they dumped sugar on it. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/8 "2009-04-27T15:37:52Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Actually I am, but for another interesting reason. My food seems so tasteless to me, if not for the mild burning sensation in my mouth from the sauce, I would sense absolutely nothing. Weird, no? Are hot sauce/pepper sauces supposed to taste like something, though? I tried something with chipotle sauce a few days ago, and it didn’t taste like anything but a mild burning to me, too. On one hand I was glad it didn’t taste like soap, but on the other I was surprised it didn’t have any taste. So, Jim B. how are your sinuses? A big part of how things taste comes from how they smell. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/9 "2009-04-27T16:01:08Z")
Do you drink a lot of Pepsi and Coke? I find that they dull my taste buds and thus try to avoid drinking them with a fine meal. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/10 "2009-04-27T16:18:09Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Are hot sauce/pepper sauces supposed to taste like something, though? I tried something with chipotle sauce a few days ago, and it didn’t taste like anything but a mild burning to me, too. On one hand I was glad it didn’t taste like soap, but on the other I was surprised it didn’t have any taste. Er… yes, they have taste other than “hot”. Chipotle especially is a very distinct smoky taste. If you’re not tasting anything other than hot, then you might have the same problem the OP has. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/11 "2009-04-27T16:37:13Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Er… yes, they have taste other than “hot”. Chipotle especially is a very distinct smoky taste. If you’re not tasting anything other than hot, then you might have the same problem the OP has. Yes, chipotle does have a tast. But I have a question. I hate “hot” foods. Even a little Texas Pete sauce is too hot for me. But on a dare, I ate a spoon full of chipotle powder. I have cooked with it before (I am a line cook) and have tasted it before. But when I ate the spoon full, it just wasn’t hot at all. Is that strange? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/12 "2009-04-27T16:54:32Z")
> [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](#): > > Yes, chipotle does have a tast. But I have a question. I hate “hot” foods. Even a little Texas Pete sauce is too hot for me. But on a dare, I ate a spoon full of chipotle powder. I have cooked with it before (I am a line cook) and have tasted it before. But when I ate the spoon full, it just wasn’t hot at all. Is that strange? I’ve had chipotle powder of various hotness, so no, I don’t think that’s strange. You just got a mild version. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/13 "2009-04-27T23:21:06Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > For most of my adult life especially, my sense of taste has been very dull. It actually seemed to get duller as I grew older. At one time I could tell the difference between Pepsi and Coke. Now they just both taste sweet to me, with maybe a hint of the cola taste I used to be able to discern (actually, I taste a slight “fruity” overtone with Coke, but I digress). > > Why would my sense of taste be so dull? I did ask my doctor about it once. But he was no help. He just said something vague about it might being due to the medicines I take (I do take alot of medicines, but this started when I was a young adult **before** I started taking most of the medicines I do now). > > So what could be causing it? > > Thank you in advance to all who reply:) Have you ever had a serious head injury? A person I used to work with got hit on the head with a tire iron during an altercation and lost his sense of taste and smell. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/14 "2009-04-27T23:30:11Z")
Can’t stuff like Zicam also kill your sense of smell, and therefore affect the ability to taste? [Yeah, it can](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=319986). ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/15 "2009-04-28T01:18:58Z")
> [@ghardester](#): > > Have you ever had a serious head injury? A person I used to work with got hit on the head with a tire iron during an altercation and lost his sense of taste and smell. No, I have never had a **serious** head injury. Although when I was 6, my cousin and I were playing on our tilting garage door. The door swung down, and I was supposed to hold on to something, but I didn’t. I crashed into the ground and split open my forehead. It required stitches, but mostly so I wouldn’t have a bigger scar. Forgive me if anyone else considers this a “serious” head injury. Under the circumstances, I don’t think it was. [QUOTE=Zabali\_Clawbane] Can’t stuff like Zicam also kill your sense of smell, and therefore affect the ability to taste? [/QUOTE] No, I’ve never taken Zicam. Btw, I don’t know if this is significant, but I do something that may be significant. I get alot of _“dry mucous”_ in my nose. And I don’t want to pick them all. So I take a kleenex, and cram it up each nostril. I once asked a pharmacist if this would do anything harmful. Again, he wasn’t too helpful. He said it might affect the natural flora in my nose, it that means anything. So I still don’t know if I am doing damage this way. But I still do it quite often, for what it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/16 "2009-04-28T01:24:06Z")
Do you keep hydrated (water + salt)? My dad complained of being “mucousy” to his doctor and the doc told him he’s dehydrated - which makes sense because he stopped eating salt and doesn’t drink anything but coffee and beer. Being dehydrated can affect the ability to taste salts. Not sure what it does to tasting sweets. But if you’re chronically stuffy it could effect everything. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/17 "2009-04-28T01:27:42Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Do you keep hydrated (water + salt)? My dad complained of being “mucousy” to his doctor and the doc told him he’s dehydrated - which makes sense because he stopped eating salt and doesn’t drink anything but coffee and beer. > > Being dehydrated can affect the ability to taste salts. Not sure what it does to tasting sweets. But if you’re chronically stuffy it could effect everything. I would say compared to the average person I keep very well-hydrated. I also don’t think I am too mucousy. But when I am, I typically use kleenex as I have described. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/18 "2009-04-28T06:25:34Z")
Zinc deficiency can cause an impaired sense of taste. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/19 "2009-04-28T19:33:46Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > Er… yes, they have taste other than “hot”. Chipotle especially is a very distinct smoky taste. If you’re not tasting anything other than hot, then you might have the same problem the OP has. That very well might be, which is why I asked the OP about his sinuses. My year-round allergies screw up my sinuses significantly no matter how I treat them, leading to a pretty poor sense of smell. I didn’t realize this until after a bad cold when they actually cleared up for a day or two and I discovered that things that barely smell like anything to me, like cucumbers, actually have a strong smell. So clearly I’m physiologically capable of smelling these things, I just usually don’t get to. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-sense-of-taste-so-dull/494462/20 "2009-04-28T23:44:04Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > That very well might be, which is why I asked the OP about his sinuses. I’m very sorry **elfkin477**. Looking back on the list of posts I see you did indeed ask me about my sinuses. It’s just there were so many other posts, I must’ve scrolled past it. No, I don’t think my sinuses have anything to do with it. Sometimes I’m runny. Sometimes I’m dry. And my sense of taste remains the same. You bring out a good point though. Most of our sense of taste is located in our sense of smell. And not surprisingly, I do also have a dull sense of smell.