You may experience a metallic taste during chemotherapy, especially while eating.Taste changescan be common while undergoingchemotherapytreatment.This side effect may make foods and beverages taste awful and even make some foods or drinks inedible at times.

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A woman with a bitter taste in her mouth

Rest assured that you are not the only person to experience this⁠—about half of people on chemo do! It is not entirely clear why metallic taste is a side effect, although there are several theories that scientists are researching. Some chemotherapy drugs are more notorious for causing this side effect than others.Nitrogen mustard, vincristine, cisplatin, and cyclophosphamide are the ones that are often listed as causing this side effect.

How to Cope

There are several things you can do to try to offset or mask themetallic tasteyou may be experiencing because of chemotherapy:

Remember that no two people are the same. Some people find that a blander diet decreases the metallic taste, while others need lots of sauces and spices to mask it.

For some, red meat tastes very metallic, and others find the taste stronger in chicken. You have to experiment with food to discover what works for you because what may work for one person may not work for another.

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Prevention

When experiencing unpleasant flavors, you may eat less and develop an aversion to certain foods or eating altogether. This can cause weight loss or lead to avoiding meals with family and friends, who are otherwise good for social support. This will further weaken your body and make treatment and recovery more difficult.

Do not take vitamins or supplements unless your healthcare provider has recommended them. Your medical team needs to know everything you are taking during treatment, including vitamins and"natural" remedies, so they can prevent harmful interactions with your treatment.

Summary

Alterations in taste is common during chemotherapy treatment. You may not be able to totally eliminate the metallic taste during treatment, but you may be able to mask the flavor with stronger flavored foods. It’s important to maintain good mouth hygiene throughout treatment.

A Word From Verywell

It’s important to continue eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of fluids throughout cancer treatment to avoid extreme weight loss and malnutrition. Choose foods that are enticing and taste good, even with altered senses.

Frequently Asked QuestionsAnecdotally, metallic taste changes related to chemotherapeutic agents typically go away about three to four weeks after the end of the chemo treatment.Magic mouthwash is not specifically used to remove the metallic taste in the mouth but rather to ease the pain and symptoms associated with oral mucositis or mouth sores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Anecdotally, metallic taste changes related to chemotherapeutic agents typically go away about three to four weeks after the end of the chemo treatment.

Magic mouthwash is not specifically used to remove the metallic taste in the mouth but rather to ease the pain and symptoms associated with oral mucositis or mouth sores.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.De vries YC, Boesveldt S, Kelfkens CS, et al.Taste and smell perception and quality of life during and after systemic therapy for breast cancer.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2018;170(1):27-34. doi:10.1007/s10549-018-4720-3Reith AJM, Spence C.The mystery of “metal mouth” in chemotherapy.Chem Senses. 2020;45(2):73-84. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjz076Von grundherr J, Koch B, Grimm D, et al.Impact of taste and smell training on taste disorders during chemotherapy - TASTE trial.Cancer Manag Res. 2019;11:4493-4504. doi:10.2147/CMAR.S188903Additional ReadingSteinbach S, Hummel T, Böhner C, et al.Qualitative and quantitative assessment of taste and smell changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer or gynecologic malignancies.J Clin Oncol. 2009;27(11):1899-1905. doi:10.1200/JCO.2008.19.2690

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.De vries YC, Boesveldt S, Kelfkens CS, et al.Taste and smell perception and quality of life during and after systemic therapy for breast cancer.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2018;170(1):27-34. doi:10.1007/s10549-018-4720-3Reith AJM, Spence C.The mystery of “metal mouth” in chemotherapy.Chem Senses. 2020;45(2):73-84. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjz076Von grundherr J, Koch B, Grimm D, et al.Impact of taste and smell training on taste disorders during chemotherapy - TASTE trial.Cancer Manag Res. 2019;11:4493-4504. doi:10.2147/CMAR.S188903Additional ReadingSteinbach S, Hummel T, Böhner C, et al.Qualitative and quantitative assessment of taste and smell changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer or gynecologic malignancies.J Clin Oncol. 2009;27(11):1899-1905. doi:10.1200/JCO.2008.19.2690

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

De vries YC, Boesveldt S, Kelfkens CS, et al.Taste and smell perception and quality of life during and after systemic therapy for breast cancer.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2018;170(1):27-34. doi:10.1007/s10549-018-4720-3Reith AJM, Spence C.The mystery of “metal mouth” in chemotherapy.Chem Senses. 2020;45(2):73-84. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjz076Von grundherr J, Koch B, Grimm D, et al.Impact of taste and smell training on taste disorders during chemotherapy - TASTE trial.Cancer Manag Res. 2019;11:4493-4504. doi:10.2147/CMAR.S188903

De vries YC, Boesveldt S, Kelfkens CS, et al.Taste and smell perception and quality of life during and after systemic therapy for breast cancer.Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2018;170(1):27-34. doi:10.1007/s10549-018-4720-3

Reith AJM, Spence C.The mystery of “metal mouth” in chemotherapy.Chem Senses. 2020;45(2):73-84. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjz076

Von grundherr J, Koch B, Grimm D, et al.Impact of taste and smell training on taste disorders during chemotherapy - TASTE trial.Cancer Manag Res. 2019;11:4493-4504. doi:10.2147/CMAR.S188903

Steinbach S, Hummel T, Böhner C, et al.Qualitative and quantitative assessment of taste and smell changes in patients undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer or gynecologic malignancies.J Clin Oncol. 2009;27(11):1899-1905. doi:10.1200/JCO.2008.19.2690

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