Having a metallic taste in the mouth is very common among people with cancer. Studies have found that as many as 78% of patients being treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or targeted therapy have a metallic taste or find that food tastes metallic6.
Most of the time, a metallic taste in your mouth is temporary and harmless. But it can be a symptom of a more serious health condition, so it's a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider if the metallic taste persists or is associated with other symptoms such as allergy symptoms, pain, or any signs of infection.
Certain types of cancer and its treatment can change your senses of taste and smell. Common causes include: Certain kinds of tumors in the head and neck area.
A metallic taste in your mouth is often related to your sense of smell or taste buds. Sinus infections, gingivitis, and oral injuries are some common causes. Sometimes the cause can be more serious, including diabetes, dementia, or kidney failure.
Chronic kidney failure caused by nerve damage from diabetes, high blood pressure, lupus, chronic infections, or kidney diseases can lead to multiple problems in your body, like a metallic taste in your mouth.
A metallic taste can indicate a serious illness, such as kidney or liver problems, undiagnosed diabetes or certain cancers. But these reasons are uncommon and typically accompanied by other symptoms. If you're otherwise healthy, the cause for that metallic tang typically is benign.
Dry mouth is common during and following colorectal cancer treatment. Symptoms of dry mouth are thirst, sore mouth or throat, difficulty swallowing, and changes in taste.
Any or all of the four tastes — salty, sweet, bitter, and sour — may be affected. It is common for meats to taste especially bitter. Sometimes one taste is specifically more pronounced.
You may find your sense of taste changes in these ways: • food has no taste • food does not taste the same as it did before treatment • food tastes metallic or you have a metallic taste in your mouth • food or drinks, such as tea, coffee, beer or wine, taste too bitter • foods, such as chocolate or sweetened breakfast ...
While rare, kidney or liver disease could cause a metallic taste to develop in the mouth due to a buildup of chemicals in the body. Once these chemicals are released into saliva, the cause a metallic taste.
Problems with digestion can be a sign of pancreatic cancer, for example: Feeling sick or being sick. Feeling less hungry than usual (poor appetite) Having a strange taste in your mouth (some people said they had a metallic taste)
The bottom line. Anxiety can cause a wide range of physiological symptoms, including a bitter or metallic taste in your mouth. Research has shown that there's a strong connection between taste changes and stress — perhaps because of the chemicals that are released in your body as part of the fight-or-flight response.
your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow (jaundice), you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual. loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to. feeling tired or having no energy. feeling generally unwell or having symptoms like flu.
Colon cancer is considered a silent disease. Most of the time there are no symptoms. The symptoms that people may experience include a change in bowel habits, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, and weight loss. If individuals have these symptoms, the disease may already have advanced.
Signs and symptoms of colon cancer include: A persistent change in your bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation or a change in the consistency of your stool. Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool. Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain.
In another study of patients with heterogeneous cancer diagnoses, prevalence rates for taste changes were highest among patients with colon cancer, followed by breast, lung, and lymphoma cancers.
A metal taste is actually more commonly associated with a deficiency of vitamin B12, D, or zinc.
Vitamin B12:
Another cause of metallic taste can be vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 is vital for the production of red blood cells in the body and keeping the nervous system in check. Along with metallic taste, other common symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency include headaches, tiredness, and loss of appetite.
Hormonal Fluctuations
Lower levels of estrogen might contribute to a constantly dry mouth or even burning mouth syndrome, both of which can be factors in having a bad taste in the mouth.
Bad taste, also known as dysgeusia, is a common symptom of gastrointestinal reflux disease, salivary gland infection (parotitis), sinusitis, poor dental hygiene, and can even be the result of taking certain medicines.