How taste and smell change as you age

The good news: unlike other nerve cells, taste and smell receptors are replaced throughout our lives. But, because they are replaced more slowly as we age, they tend to become blunted. Here's what you can do to preserve them.

• One important reason why you should never accept deterioration in your smell and taste as just another consequence of aging is that sometimes taste and smell disorders signal other conditions, many of which can be treated.
• In fact, some scientific studies have suggested that aging itself is less responsible for the decreases in these senses than the accumulation of other bodily conditions and environmental influences over the decades.
• And, if the condition causing the loss of sensations is treated, taste and smell sensitivity will often recover.

  Below are some reasons why your taste and smell senses may become weaker. 

• You'll learn some quick and simple ways to assess the senses yourself because generally they fade slowly and it's easy not to notice.
• Although the body constantly replaces taste buds, the rate of replacement tends to slow down in middle age, slightly faster in women than in men, and the buds themselves become smaller.
• Taste sense rarely falls off significantly until after the age of 60, though, and even then most people retain reasonable sensitivity.
• If taste sensation is lost, it's usually bitter and sour tastes that last longest, presumably as a protective mechanism.
• Our smell sense is rather more likely to become impaired as we get older.
• In fact, some tests suggest that our smelling ability peaks at around the age of eight, and begins to decline from as early as 15.
• In practical terms though, it's usually only after the age of 60 that there's any noticeable deterioration in smelling capacity.
• Most people who experience loss of taste sensations — ageusia — in fact have a problem with smelling, as mentioned earlier.
• Taste disorders are rare and often there is no obvious cause.
• Frequently, the sense recovers by itself, though it may take months or years.
• Head injury or some rare diseases can cause taste loss and, strangely, people with diabetes may lose their taste sensitivity yet retain normal smelling capacity.
• Most of those affected have diminished taste rather than complete loss — taste sensations may be blunted, or it may be difficult to distinguish between tastes.
• It's also possible for taste disorders to feature spontaneous taste sensations, which may sometimes be unpleasant.

• Some people complain of a metallic taste in their mouth. Simple solutions for bad tastes are to chew gum or suck on mints.
• If you notice a metallic taste especially when eating, using plastic rather than metal cutlery can help.