How Your Sense of Taste and Smell Changes with Age

Foods may not pack the punch they once did. Here’s how to boost flavors, scents and joy

Nicole Pajer,

AARP

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Published April 07, 2025

Over time, the number of taste buds on your tongues decreases, but there are things you can do to bring back the flavor.

Gregory Reid

Soon after turning 50, Robert Andrew noticed changes in the taste of foods.

“At first, it was faint, as if the edges of flavors were softened, and everything appeared less colorful or tasty,” says the 54-year-old from East Providence, Rhode Island.

The issue grew more noticeable over time, and he’s since realized that even his favorite meals no longer make him feel as satisfied as they used to. “Foods that I once enjoyed, such as a well-cooked steak or a favorite dessert, now seem more like textures with subtle taste undertones,” he says. To compensate for his diminished sense of taste, he focuses more on textures, preparing foods that are warm, creamy or crispy, which he says have helped to stimulate his senses. “I can still taste flavors, especially strong ones like citrus, chili or garlic, thanks to using more spices and condiments,” he adds.

3 things to expect

Taste buds on the tongue have cells that detect stimuli (sweet, salty, sour, bitter or savory), then transmit signals to the brain through your nerves, which process the taste in your central nervous system. But you can’t taste your food well without your sense of smell. It’s estimated that between 75 percent and 95 percent of what we perceive to be taste is actually our olfactory system doing its thing. (Many people reported losing their sense of taste after contracting COVID-19, but recent research suggests that the sense of smell, not taste, was the greater culprit.)

How Your Senses Change With Age

While you’re eating, smells from the food are released from the mouth into the nasal cavity, which plays a crucial role in helping you taste your food. “So many people who lose their sense of smell go to a doctor and say, ‘Oh, my food doesn’t taste like it used to.’ And this is most likely a misattribution,” says Valentina Parma, assistant director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. “People tend to lose their sense of smell, which affects the way we perceive flavor, and we tend to talk about it as if it were taste.” So if your sense of taste or smell diminishes, both of which can naturally happen with age, it’s likely you’ll notice a change in how foods taste.

1. Flavors may diminish

Over time, the number of taste buds on the tongue decreases. “As those taste buds disappear, we become less sensitive to flavors and develop a reduced sense of taste,” says Monica Mahajan, M.D., medical director of the Center for Better Aging at St. Bernard Hospital in Chicago. At the same time, existing taste buds become less effective at detecting flavors; you may notice that your favorite dessert has begun to taste less sweet. This can begin in our 50s, although women may notice it as early as their 40s. More than 70 percent of people ages 57 to 64 have measurable changes in their sense of taste.

2. Our noses become less sensitive

Your sense of smell comes from olfactory receptor neurons — nerve cells that detect odors, then send signals to the brain. These nerve cells start dying off in your 50s, and the process accelerates with age. (Some loss of smell can be temporary, like when you have a cold or COVID.)

3. Our mouths get drier

Decreased saliva production, which affects at least 10 percent of people over 50, can also affect taste. “You need saliva to dissolve flavor molecules to even reach your taste buds,” says Robert Eitches, M.D., an allergist and immunologist in the Los Angeles area. Reduced saliva can also be a side effect of certain medications, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, decongestants and diuretics. “Switch medications if your medication is contributing to dry mouth,” says Eitches. “Chew on sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free lozenges, and avoid marijuana, alcohol and caffeine,” all of which can make your mouth dry, he says. Using a mouthwash designed for dry mouth can also help. A humidifier can improve moisture throughout.

Protect your taste and smell

Some delicious kernels of advice for retaining your sense of yum.

Daily

Stay hydrated

Dehydration can reduce the body’s ability to produce saliva, a crucial component of tasting. Fill up on H2O, and limit salt intake.

Treat colds and allergies

Allergies and colds cause inflammation in the nasal cavity and congestion that can impair your sense of smell. Antihistamines, saline rinses and nasal sprays used in appropriate doses can help unblock your nose. (Follow directions on nasal sprays; overusing them can cause rebound congestion.)

Eat a nutrient-rich diet

B12, zinc, iron and copper deficiencies can alter taste sensations. Your doctor can test your nutrient levels and suggest ways to address any deficiencies affecting your taste perception.

Limit your exposure to toxins

Exposure to pollution can break down nasal cells over time, so if you live in an area with poor air quality or work with odor-emitting chemicals like solvents, investing in an air purifier may help.

Brush and floss regularly

“Poor oral hygiene and diseases affecting the gums can alter taste sensations,” says Esther Verbovszky, a speech-language pathologist and founder of the Cleveland Feeding & Swallowing Center. Routine brushing and flossing can help.

Weekly

Retrain your nose

Studies suggest that repeated focus on certain scents may help train your brain to regain your sense of smell. Collect four scents from everyday life — for example, eucalyptus, rose, lemon, clove. Smell one for 15 seconds while trying to remember what it once smelled like. Rest for 10 seconds, then switch to each of the other three. Every few months, try another set of four.

Get out of your food rut

A loss of taste or smell can reduce interest in eating. Many older adults fall into food ruts, eating the same meals daily but missing out on variety. That’s an unhealthy situation because our bodies evolved to eat a wide variety of foods, all of which offer different nutrients. Stimulate your taste buds by mixing textures, colors and flavors. Try a cooking class, swap recipes with friends, or explore new dishes.

Yearly

Keep up with your vaccines

Every time you get a cold, flu or bout of COVID, it takes a toll on your smell receptors, reducing their ability to regenerate, says Richard L. Doty, director of the Smell and Taste Center at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. In addition to vaccinations, he recommends limiting contact with people who are sick and prioritizing good sleep and a healthy diet.

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