Suddenly, foods might lack flavor and taste bland.
You’re not alone.
Loss of taste is just one of a handful of ways that chemotherapy can affect your sense of taste.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Food can tastemetallic, bitter, or even too sweet for some people.
Causes
The cause of taste changes during chemotherapy is not fully known.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Complications
Eating can be a challenge when undergoing chemotherapy.
Perhaps youdon’t have an appetite, can’t keep anything down, or food tastes different.
You cannot allow these taste aversions and changes to prevent you from getting proper nutrition.
Maintaining good nutrition is an important factor in your treatment success.
When food has no flavor, it can be mentally difficult to chew and swallow.
This can lead to an aversion to certain foods or eating altogether, resulting in weight loss and malnutrition.
What’s a person to do?
Always inform your healthcare provider of any side effects you are experiencing, including taste changes.
There are things you might do to help with this.
A Word From Verywell
Change in taste is not a minor thing.
Therefore, it’s essential to address all aspects of eating and nutrition, including how things taste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rest assured that most people’s taste buds do regain function.
Thetaste budsare cells with a rapid turnover rate of 10 days.
Yes, it’s possible for you to.
Some peopleinitiallyfind their taste buds are hypersensitive, while others find they are less sensitive.
