Key takeaways:
A weird taste in your mouth can affect your appetite and quality of life, especially if it lingers for a while.
Some medications, such as antibiotics, can cause a sour or metallic taste in your mouth. Stimulants, such as Adderall (amphetamine salts) and Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine), can leave a bitter taste in your mouth.
Switching medications, drinking plenty of fluids, and chewing sugar-free gum are a few strategies that may lessen the weird taste in your mouth.
How do we taste things? Our sensory system for taste is very sensitive, made possible by our taste buds. Each taste bud is made up of taste receptor cells that bind to small molecules related to flavor. Through sensory nerves, the receptors communicate information about tastes to the brain. This process allows us to experience tastes such as sweet, salty, and sour.
If you’ve ever experienced a weird taste in your mouth, it’s normal to wonder if any medications you’re taking could be the culprit. The same goes for any health conditions you may have. An unpleasant taste in your mouth or a lack of taste can impact your appetite and quality of life.
Different medications can affect our sense of taste in a variety of ways. While some may lead to a bitter taste in the mouth, others may promote a more metallic or sour taste.
Let’s dive into medications and other things that may cause a weird taste in your mouth — broken down by the specific tastes they may cause.
Stimulants that treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may cause a bitter taste and dry mouth. Some of these stimulants include:
Adderall (amphetamine salts)
Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)
Concerta (methylphenidate ER)
Ritalin (methylphenidate)
Adderall, in particular, can cause mouth changes. People sometimes refer to these changes as “Adderall tongue.” Xerostomia (dry mouth) is the likely culprit. When your mouth is dry, there is less saliva. So it can actually cause foods to taste more bitter.
There are a variety of other medications that can cause dry mouth, too, including:
Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Antidepressants such as sertraline (Zoloft)
Opioids such as oxycodone / acetaminophen (Percocet)
Benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax)
Other medications can leave a metallic or sour taste in your mouth. Certain antibiotics that treat bacterial infections are top examples, including:
Penicillins such as amoxicillin and amoxicillin / clavulanate (Augmentin)
Cephalosporins such as cefazolin and cephalexin
Metronidazole (Flagyl)
Research suggests that antibiotics such as these may lower the absorption of zinc in your body. Your taste buds need this mineral to do their job optimally.
Other medications associated with a metallic taste include:
Allopurinol (Zyloprim)
Baclofen (Fleqsuvy, Lyvispah)
Lithium (Lithobid)
Phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
Good to know: One of the most commonly reported side effects of the COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir) is a metallic or bad taste in the mouth. It’s commonly referred to as “Paxlovid mouth.” But it may actually just be a side effect of COVID — not necessarily the medication. This is still being researched.
Blood pressure medicines called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors can cause a persistent weird taste in the mouth, also called dysgeusia. Like the antibiotics mentioned earlier, these medications are also thought to disrupt taste by causing zinc deficiency (low zinc levels). Enalapril (Vasotec, Epaned), captopril, and lisinopril (Zestril, Qbrelis) are common ACE inhibitors.
Certain cancer medications may have this effect, too, including cetuximab (Erbitux) and imatinib (Gleevec).
Some medications reduce our ability to taste things (hypogeusia). Others may cause us to lose our sense of taste altogether (ageusia).
Isotretinoin (Claravis, Accutane) is one example. It’s used to treat severe acne. You may notice that it’s harder to taste foods while taking this medication. Experts believe isotretinoin lowers people’s ability to smell. Taste and smell have a strong link. If it’s harder for you to smell food, you’re likely to have trouble tasting it, too.
Medications that treat heart disease can also lower your ability to taste. Diltiazem (Cardizem), hydrochlorothiazide, and spironolactone (Aldactone, CaroSpir) are a few examples.
There are other medications that can impair your sense of taste, as well, including:
Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Equetro)
Levodopa (part of Sinemet)
Dicyclomine (Bentyl)
If you’re not taking any medications, you might have a medical condition that’s causing a weird taste in your mouth.
Health conditions, treatments or lifestyle considerations such as these have been linked to taste changes in certain cases:
Cancer
Allergies
Sinus infections
Problems with your teeth or gums
Ear, nose, or throat surgery
Autoimmune disorders such as Sjögren’s disease (dry eyes and mouth)
Tobacco use
Contact with insecticides
Liver problems
Vitamin or mineral deficiencies related to B12 or zinc
Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, head injury, or multiple sclerosis
Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormones)
Advanced age
Contact your healthcare provider so they can help you figure out what might be causing a weird taste in your mouth.
Many people who test positive for COVID lose their sense of taste and smell. Typically, these changes happen together. And they may occur before other symptoms of COVID start. One study that looked at data in 2021 found that about 60% of people with COVID reported a loss of taste or smell.
Researchers have also found that COVID could affect chemesthesis, which refers to our ability to identify chemicals in herbs or spices. These chemicals help us know when foods taste like they are burning, cooling, or tingling.
If your medications are altering your sense of taste, your symptoms will likely resolve after you finish taking your medication. Medications very rarely cause permanent taste changes. And if your healthcare provider determines that a health condition is causing the weird taste in your mouth, treating the condition will often resolve the problem as a secondhand benefit.
Here are some other strategies you can try:
Chew sugar-free gum.
Prepare foods with spices to add flavor.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Brush or scrape your tongue. Brush your teeth regularly, too.
Avoid smoking.
Check with your provider about trying a zinc supplement.
If these treatments don't help, some experts may recommend clonazepam (Klonopin). Research shows this medication has been successful in treating dysgeusia in people who have head and neck cancers.
Always check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist before stopping any medication due to the risk of side effects from quitting. You can also ask them about other medication options for chronic health conditions.
Reach out to your healthcare provider if the weird taste in your mouth is bothering you or doesn’t go away. They can check if any health conditions could be the cause. For instance, you may need an antibiotic to treat a lingering sinus infection.
It’s also a good idea to keep a current medication list handy. Your pharmacist can check to see if any medications or supplements you take could be causing the issue.
Together with your healthcare team, you can pinpoint the likely cause of your taste changes.
Sometimes, people develop a weird taste in their mouth or even lose their sense of taste. Adderall, Paxlovid, and metformin are a few medications that may cause a weird taste in your mouth. Health conditions such as GERD and diabetes could do this, too. Drinking fluids and brushing your tongue are a couple of strategies that can help alleviate the weird taste in your mouth.
Reach out to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn whether a health condition or a medication you’re taking might be causing your taste changes.
Altin, F., et al. (2020). Olfactory and gustatory abnormalities in COVID-19 cases. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology.
Choo, P. J., et al. (2022). A retrospective study of drugs associated with xerostomia from the Australian Database of Adverse Event Notifications. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice.
Doty, R. L., et al. (2003). Influences of antihypertensive and antihyperlipidemic drugs on the senses of taste and smell: A review. Journal of Hypertension.
Ghias, K., et al. (2023). The impact of treatment-induced dysgeusia on the nutritional status of cancer patients. Clinical Nutrition Open Science.
Kumral, T. L., et al. (2018). Evaluation of the effects of oral isotretinoin on nasal function, taste, and smell. B-ENT.
Martin, D., et al. (2023). Amphetamine. StatPearls.
Mitchell, M. B., et al. (2023). Smell and taste loss associated with COVID-19 infection. The Laryngoscope.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2023). Taste disorders.
Parma, V., et al. (2020). More than smell — COVID-19 is associated with severe impairment of smell, taste, and chemesthesis. Chemical Senses.
Schiffman, S. S. (2018). Influence of medications on taste and smell. World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
Research prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from A to Z, compare drug prices, and start saving.