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Navigate: FAQ Home Page > General Health Questions > Taste Buds
Posted on: 10/05/2006
Question
What does it mean when you lose your taste buds?
Answer
Interesting question. I think the saying "lose your taste buds" is that you lose your sensation of taste which is usually temporary, such as when you are stuffy. A common reason is when you have a cold your nose gets stuffy. Your olfactory receptors are located in your nose and they are very important for taste, thus when you have a cold, food does not taste the same. As you get older you may also lose some of your tasting capabilities but the actual number of taste buds is almost the same.