Our taste buds only detect four basic flavors: salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. But what about when your mouth tastes like metal?
This is a pretty common phenomenon known as dysgeusia, according to a research review. Many things can cause it, but certain vitamins and nutrient deficiencies often play a role in the unpleasant taste.
Read on to learn about the top five nutrient supplements and deficiencies that can lead to a metallic taste in your mouth.
1. Certain Multivitamins
Many people get a metallic taste in their mouth after taking their daily multivitamin. This is because lots of supplements contain metals like zinc, copper, and chromium, which have been known to cause this unpleasant side effect, according to Cleveland Clinic. It’s usually temporary and subsides after the vitamin is fully digested.
2. Iron
If you have anemia — a condition marked by an abnormally low red blood cell count — your doctor may recommend that you start taking iron supplements, according to MedlinePlus. Depending on the severity of your condition, you may either take pills or get iron infusions, which is an IV drip given at the doctor’s office.
Both iron pills and infusions can cause a metallic or coppery taste in your mouth. You may also get other side effects like nausea or constipation, according to StatPearls.
3. Zinc
Sometimes, getting too little zinc from your diet can lead to a metallic taste in your mouth, according to MedlinePlus. Zinc is an essential mineral that helps your immune system run properly. It’s also needed for your sense of smell and taste.
In other words, if you have a zinc deficiency, you might have trouble with your sense of taste, leading to a metallic or “off” flavor in your mouth, according to a research review.
4. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy nerves, brain function, and red blood cell production, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). But if you don’t get enough from your diet, you may experience changes in your sense of taste.
Studies have found that vitamin B12 deficiency is linked with several oral-health effects. These include a red, swollen tongue, angular cheilitis (sores on the sides of your mouth), and a loss of taste receptors, also known as papillae. As a result, you might notice a change when you eat, like bitterness or a metallic taste.
5. Supplements With Heavy Metals
Because vitamins are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the same way medications are, some vitamins may not contain the highest-quality ingredients. Low-quality products can have additives or contaminants such as heavy metals, which can cause a metallic taste, according to ConsumerLab.com.
When you purchase supplements, always make sure that you’re buying them from reputable manufacturers and that the products have been tested by third parties, like the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) and the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF).
The most common heavy metals found in low-quality and untested supplements include lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium, according to StatPearls. But studies have found that the amounts of metals present in prenatal vitamin supplements, for example, are not often cause for concern.
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