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WiregrassSeniorsMagazine . com
When Aging Steals Your Sense of Taste
By Beth W . Orenstein
The older you are , the fewer taste buds you have . But you can savor your meals by concentrating on the pleasure of eating and trying some exciting new recipes .
As you age , you ’ re likely to find that your sense of taste starts to decline , just like your eyesight . You were born with 10,000 taste buds , but after you turn 50 , that number starts to gradually decrease .
“ We don ’ t have a full understanding of why taste perception declines with age ,” says Christine Gerbstadt , MD , RD , of Altoona , Pennsylvania , a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association ( ADA ) and author of The Doctors ’ Detox Diet . She notes , however , that studies in mice show that their taste cells turn over , resulting in their having fewer of them over time , which may explain why it happens in humans , too .
Another factor may be a diminished sense of smell . Experts say flavor is actually a combination of taste and smell , so if you lose your ability to detect particular aromas — which happens as you age — you ’ re limited to basic taste sensations picked up by your tongue , which won ’ t be as strong or as complex .
Still another reason your sense of taste diminishes with age is that you produce less saliva , so your mouth is drier . When your mouth is dry , it ’ s harder to swallow , and eating may not be as enjoyable .
Loss of Taste Poses Risks Loss of your sense of taste shouldn ’ t be dismissed as just one of the effects of aging , because it can have serious consequences for senior health . Of your four taste sensations — sweet , salty , sour , and bitter — sweet and salty are often the first to go , so at the very least , you may over-salt your food , which could cause your blood pressure to rise and put your heart health at risk .
Furthermore , if you lose the ability to taste certain foods , you may also lose interest in eating them , which could affect the amount of nutrients you consume , says Dr . Gerbstadt . You could even accidentally consume food that has gone bad or contains harmful