Minocycline and sense of taste

[bobbi2008]

Hi all,

Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this side effect from minocycline:   Whenever I take a dose of minocycline, I lose my sense of taste for several hours afterward.  This happens whether I use brand name mino or generic and whether I take a 50 mg capsule or a 100 mg capsule.  After about 8 to 10 hours, my sense of taste returns.  Then it's time to take another capsule.  (Bummer.)  I've never had this happen with any other medication or nutritional supplement but minocycline.  I've never read of this being a side effect from minocycline.  I'm curious if this happens to anyone else–and also curious as to what there could be in an antibiotic that could affect one's sense of taste.  Ideas anyone?

Thanks!

 

[Randy]

This has not ever happened to me.  I hope this clears up for you; it must be very disturbing.

Diffuse SD since Apr '07
AP since Feb '08
100mg Mino twice daily
Stopped Clindamycin IVs Aug 2019
"No one should profit over someone else's illness"

[mkay]

that's one symptom I'm yet to get, for me it's the opposite everything seems more in tune and better after I take it…for instance my sinus problems seem to clear a little.  It is so weird how things effect all of us differently.  I hope it gets better!  🙂

[mikana]

This has happened to my husband and it drives him a little nutty, he says everything either has no flavor or tastes like medicine. However his sense of smell seems to be heightened.

[Maz]

Hi Bobbi,

Sorry to hear you're having a loss of taste from your mino. The only thing that comes to mind is that the tetracyclines have pretty powerful chelating properties. They bind to minerals in our bodies…minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc, for instance. This is why we're advised not to take any form of mineral too close to our dose, because they bind to the antibiotic in the gut and render it useless. What this brought to mind is that zinc is a mineral that is closely associated with taste and smell. A deficiency can result in loss of these senses. Any chance you might be zinc deficient?

http://www.swedish.org/16504.cfm

Hope you find your answers soon and you can enjoy your food again!  

Peace, Maz

[bobbi2008]

Thanks, Maz.  Interesting you should bring that up.  My brother, who is a nutritionist, also suggested that I might be zinc deficient.  I will definitely try increasing the zinc and see what happens.

Thanks much for the suggestion!

 

[lindalou]

Hi, When my scleroderma was raging , I lost my taste buds. I lost my taste buds for months and then finally they came back. Hang in there it will get better.

                     LindaLou

[bobbi2008]

Thanks to all who responded to my question.  Good to know I'm not the only one to experience this.  Hopefully my sense of taste will get better as time goes on.  And in the meantime, I've purchased some zinc supplements per Maz' suggestion.

May you all be richly blessed in the new year.

[Author]

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