Loss of Taste and Smell: Anosmia, Loss of Smell & COVID-19 (2024)

Your sense of smell and taste work together to help you enjoy foods and drinks. When you lose your sense of smell — due to age, a health problem or a medicine — foods can seem tasteless or bland. Losing taste and smell can be an early symptom of a COVID-19 infection. A complete loss of smell (anosmia) or loss of taste (ageusia) is rare.

How does the sense of smell work?

Molecules in the air activate your sense of smell (olfaction). These molecules enter your nose and mouth. They attach to receptor cells in nasal mucus membranes. The receptors send messages to your brain that tell you when something has a pleasant or foul aroma.

How does the sense of taste work?

Molecules that dissolve in liquids activate your sense of taste (gustation). Tastebuds on your tongue have receptors that respond to substances. You also have receptors on the roof of your mouth and back of your throat. The receptors send messages to your brain that tell you when foods or drinks are sweet, salty, sour, bitter or savory (umami).

What’s the link between taste and smell?

Taste and smell are chemical senses that work together. When you can’t smell foods and drinks, it affects how they taste. These combined senses are how you tell the difference between coffee and tea or blueberries and raspberries.

Here’s how these senses work together:

• The act of eating or drinking releases molecules.
• These molecules stimulate receptors in your nose and mouth.
• The receptors send messages to your brain.
• Your brain combines this information to help you recognize and enjoy complex flavors.

What is loss of smell?

Many conditions can affect your olfactory senses (sense of smell). You may have hyposmia (partial loss of smell) or anosmia (complete loss of smell).

Your ability to smell gets weaker after age 50. Nasal membranes become thinner and drier, and nerves don’t work as well.

What is loss of taste?

It’s uncommon to lose your ability to taste. Most often, a loss of smell makes foods taste bland.

The medical term for a complete inability to taste is ageusia (uh-gyou-zee-uh). More people have hypogeusia, which means foods and drinks don’t taste as flavorful as they should.

Taste buds become less sensitive after age 50. Foods may taste bitter even when they’re not. You may have a harder time telling when things are sweet or salty too.

How common is loss of smell or taste?

Close to a quarter-million Americans see their doctor every year for smell or taste problems. Experts estimate that more than 1 in 10 Americans may have a smell or taste disorder, but few seek help.