Taste problems may be more common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) than previously thought. A recent review estimated that about 16 percent of people with MS experience changes in taste. Researchers are still learning about this symptom, but taste changes can affect eating, enjoyment of food, and daily life.

“Has anyone had MS take their ability to taste?” one MyMSTeam member asked. “Everything tastes the same.”

“MS has my sense of taste wacky at times. Clean cup, fresh coffee, and my first sip tasted like pesto today!” another shared.

Losing your sense of taste, known medically as ageusia, or noticing changes in the way food tastes can affect your eating patterns and enjoyment of food. Taste changes may contribute to reduced appetite, which can affect energy levels and weight. Many people who experience taste problems also have a reduced ability to smell.

Here are five possible reasons you may be experiencing taste changes.

There isn’t much research explaining why people with MS may experience changes in their sense of taste.

One study at the University of Pennsylvania suggested that MS lesions in certain parts of the brain may interfere with how the brain processes taste. Researchers assessed how well 73 people with MS could identify four basic tastes. Each taste was tested using a specific substance:

• Salty — Sodium chloride
• Sweet — Sucrose
• Sour — Citric acid
• Bitter — Caffeine

The researchers found that participants with MS had more difficulty identifying these tastes than people without MS. They had the most difficulty identifying salty tastes, followed by sweet tastes.

🗳️ Have you experienced an altered sense of taste with multiple sclerosis?

Yes, I’ve had a loss of taste.

Yes, I’ve had some taste changes.

No

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Some disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS can cause taste changes or other side effects that may affect the mouth. Depending on the DMT, these effects may include altered taste, dry mouth, mouth sores, or other oral problems.

DMTs associated with taste changes or other mouth problems include:

• Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada) — Mouth pain, dysgeusia (altered taste), and cold sores
• Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) — Cavities, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, bleeding gums, and mouth sores
• Interferon beta-1a (Avonex, Rebif) — Toothaches
• Natalizumab (Tysabri) — Cavities
• Teriflunomide (Aubagio) — Toothaches and dysgeusia

Some medications used to manage MS symptoms can cause side effects that affect the mouth, particularly dry mouth. These include baclofen, oxybutynin, and dantrolene.

High-dose corticosteroids are sometimes given for a short time to help manage an MS flare or relapse. These medications can also affect your sense of taste, such as causing a metallic taste or increasing the risk of infections in the mouth, which may contribute to changes in taste.

Taste changes can occur as part of an MS flare or relapse. One member of MyMSTeam described a relapse that affected their sense of taste: “I’ve had an attack that affected my taste buds. Everything tasted bland, like nothing.”

Keep in mind that taste changes alone don’t reliably indicate a relapse. A suspected MS relapse generally involves new or worsening neurological symptoms lasting at least 24 hours without fever, infection, or another explanation.

Sometimes, loss of taste may be related to lifestyle choices rather than MS. For example, smoking cigarettes or drinking large amounts of alcohol can affect your sense of taste. Aging, exposure to certain chemicals, and poor oral health can also play a role.

Studies suggest that quitting smoking may help restore the sense of taste for many people within a few months. Quitting smoking also has other health benefits for people with MS.

If you’re experiencing loss of taste, it might not be caused by MS. Many other conditions and medications can cause taste changes, including:

• COVID-19 or long COVID
• Infections of the gums, mouth, sinuses, salivary glands, or throat
• Certain antibiotics
• Certain heart and blood pressure medications
• Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Dry mouth, such as from Sjögren’s disease
• Low levels of certain vitamins and minerals
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Other neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease
• Metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, and kidney disease
• Dentures that cover the soft palate in the mouth

When To Talk With Your Doctor

If you’re concerned about a new, worsening, or persistent change in your sense of taste, talk with your doctor. They can help determine whether the change may be related to MS, a medication, or another health condition.

It’s also important to tell your doctor if your taste changes occur along with other concerning symptoms, such as:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• New or worsening weakness or fatigue
• Fever or night sweats.