I've had this very frustrating problem for a very, very long time. When I was a kid, I didn't have the best appetite and I never ate sweets or candy unless I was hungry. The only real junkfood that I liked to consume was Pepsi cola. About 3-4 can every week. But, after puberty started I started drinking less and less to the point where I completely stopped. I also stopped having any sort of craving. Eating became a chore.
As a result, I was very underweight throughout my high school years. In 2013 I started going to the gym on a regular basis and really forced myself to eat so I could gain some muscle. It worked, I gained 20 kg, but in the summer of 2016 I got sick and tired of this. I started eating 1 meal a day, consuming less than 1000 calories on most days.
Suffice to say, I lost all the weight I gained.
This is all because I can barely taste food. Everything is bland. It doesn't matter how delicious the food is, I won't be able to enjoy it. At the most, it will be okay-good, not good, just between ok and good.
I remember how chicken and beef used to have very distinct flavors. But nowadays, even though I can tell the difference between the two, it feels like my ability to taste them is hollow. Like I'm only tasting the tip of the iceberg, not the entire iceberg.
I drink Earl Grey Tea daily. I bought a tea that's heavy in bergamot, Stash Double Bergamot Earl Grey Tea. I have only been able to taste the bergamot less than 5 times in my 2 years of drinking it. On those days that I can taste it, I can also taste other foods a lot better. And, I don't remember if this is true for all the times, but in general my sense of smell is also improved.
I've read that a good sense of smell is important for tasting food. I've always had mild congestion in my nose, but I've never linked it to a lack of taste. In fact, bupropion, amphetamines, ritalin, and other stimulants sometimes help with the congestion but don't relieve the lack of taste.
I've tried Zinc Citrate at 50 mg daily for a week and it did not help at all. What else can I try?
