Treatment of the underlying disease, such as hypothyroidism, is the priority
A 78-year-old man visited a hospital after losing nearly 7 kg in weight over a year. He could barely eat, he said, as his tongue tasted like iron and felt gritty. On examination, vitamin B12 deficiency, macrophages (large red blood cells) anemia, and hypothyroidism were confirmed. Endoscopy and abdominal-pelvic CT tests showed no specific findings. As a result of vitamin B12 supplementation while treating hypothyroidism, the sense of taste returned and weight loss improved.
Taste abnormalities refer to conditions characterized by a distorted or altered sense of taste. There are various symptoms of dysgeusia, such as feeling the intensity of the taste differently from before or feeling the taste as metallic. A decreased ability to perceive certain tastes may be accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, and secondary weight loss.
Disorders of taste are caused by various factors. Dry mouth due to Sjogren’s syndrome (autoimmune disease) or radiation treatment for cancer, zinc or vitamin B12 deficiency, damage to the nerve responsible for taste, neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis, chronic reflux disease Esophageal disease, metabolic disorders such as diabetes or hypothyroidism can also cause taste disorders. Taste changes due to chemicals contained in cigarettes during smoking and taste abnormalities caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy are also common. It is easy to overlook because abnormal taste due to aging is a very common symptom, but a sudden change in taste like the patient introduced this time requires attention.
Eating a vegan diet also causes vitamin B12 deficiency
Among various causes, vitamin B12 deficiency causes fatigue, weakness, paresthesia, and taste disorders or changes in taste. Vitamin B12 deficiency can be caused by eating a vegan diet low in animal products, by having pernicious anemia, an autoimmune disease that attacks the cells of the stomach that produce intrinsic factor that acts to absorb vitamin B12, by people with conditions such as Crohn’s disease or inflammatory bowel disease. Cases in which absorption of vitamin B12 through food is not well due to gastrointestinal disease, cases in which a portion of the small intestine or ileum where vitamin B12 is absorbed through gastric surgery is removed, proton pump inhibitors or H2 that suppress gastric acid secretion It can occur when certain drugs, such as receptor blockers, are used for a long time or when alcohol is consumed chronically due to alcoholism. Hypothyroidism can also affect the ability to absorb and utilize vitamin B12, and reduced endogenous factor production is known to increase the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency is made with a blood test that measures the level of vitamin B12 in the blood. Injectable or oral supplements are used to treat vitamin B12 deficiency. However, it is necessary to ascertain what the preceding cause is. If vitamin B12 deficiency is caused by a disease that can be corrected, it is essential to treat the underlying cause concurrently.
Disorders of taste can be caused by a variety of factors, including vitamin B12 deficiency, which can be caused by hypothyroidism. Although it is considered a minor symptom, it is also sometimes a difficult and confusing symptom that does not know how to solve it. Therefore, it is important to identify the underlying disease or cause that may cause taste abnormalities for proper evaluation and treatment. If you experience taste abnormalities or accompanying symptoms, we recommend that you visit a medical institution for consultation and then find the root cause and appropriate treatment.
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