Loss of taste and smell: A normal part of aging?

Some loss of taste and smell occurs normally with aging. This can be due to degeneration of the nerves that control smell, which can directly or indirectly affect taste. Also, the sensitivity of your taste buds can diminish with age. But aging is not the only cause of taste and smell loss. Other causes include:

• Nasal and sinus problems, such as allergies, sinusitis and polyps
• Certain medications, such as some antibiotics, high blood pressure medications and chemotherapy
• Mouth sores, tooth decay or poor dental hygiene
• Head injury
• Cigarette smoking
• Neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease

Loss of taste and smell can have a significant impact on quality of life. Diminished taste and smell can lead to decreased appetite and poor nutrition in older adults. It may also tempt you to use too much salt or sugar on your food to enhance the taste — which is a problem if you have high blood pressure or diabetes. For these reasons, it's important to have this problem evaluated by a doctor. If properly diagnosed, many causes of impaired taste and smell are treatable.