What is dysgeusia?
Dysgeusia (dis-gyoo-zee-uh) is a disorder that distorts your sense of taste. People with this condition describe all foods as tasting sweet, sour, bitter or metallic.
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What is the difference between dysgeusia, ageusia and anosmia?
While dysgeusia refers to a distorted sense of taste, ageusia (uh-gyoo-zee-uh) refers to total loss of taste. Anosmia (an-oz-mee-uh) is characterized by partial or total loss of smell. All of these conditions are possible symptoms of COVID-19, but they can also occur due to a number of other health problems.
What is dysgeusia a symptom of?
Most of the time, dysgeusia is a side effect of certain treatments or medications, or it could be due to vitamin or mineral deficiencies. People who are pregnant can also develop altered taste. In rare cases, however, dysgeusia could be a symptom of liver disease, hypothyroidism or other health conditions.
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How common is dysgeusia?
According to research studies, up to 17% of adults in the U.S. develop dysgeusia at some point.
What does dysgeusia feel like?
In addition to making foods taste sweet, sour, bitter or metallic, dysgeusia can also cause you to have a bad taste in your mouth, even if you’re not eating anything. In many cases, people report enjoying foods they typically dislike and hating foods they normally love.
