Why has my sense of taste changed?

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Q. I have lost some of my sense of taste. I take medicine for high blood pressure. Could that be the reason?

A. The ability to enjoy food's flavor requires both your sense of taste and your sense of smell, which are triggered by the stimulation of nerve endings in the mouth and nose. As we age, our senses of smell and taste diminish. We lose taste buds, and those that remain shrink; and our tongue and nose become less discerning.