How obesity affects the taste system

Did you know that obesity affects the taste system? Previous studies have indicated that weight gain can reduce an individual’s sensitivity to the taste of food. And that this effect can be reversed when you lose weight. But it is not clear how this phenomenon arises. Now, a study published March 20 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Andrew Kaufman, Robin Dando and colleagues at Cornell University shows that the inflammation generated by obesity actually reduces the number of taste buds on the tongues of mice. A taste bud is made up of about 50 to 100 cells of three main types. Each one with different roles in the detection of the five main flavors (salty, sweet, bitter, sour and umami). Flavor bud cells have an average lifespan of just 10 days. Study To explore changes in taste buds in obesity, researchers fed mice a normal diet consisting of 14% fat or an obesogenic diet containing 58% fat. As expected, after 8 weeks, the mice fed the obesogenic diet weighed about a third more than those fed normal chow. But surprisingly, the obese mice had 25% fewer taste buds than the lean mice. And no changes in the average size or distribution of the three cell types within the individual shoots. The renewal of taste bud cells normally arises from a balanced combination of programmed cell death (a process known as apoptosis) and the generation of new cells from go from special progenitor cells. However, the researchers observed that the rate of apoptosis increased in obese mice. While the number of progenitor cells in the tongue decreased. Which probably explains the net decrease in the number of taste buds. Mice that were genetically resistant to obesity did not show these effects. Even when fed a high-fat diet. Which implies that they are not due to the consumption of fat itself, but rather to the accumulation of adipose tissue. Obesity is known to be associated with a chronic state of low-grade inflammation and adipose tissue produces proinflammatory cytokines. Molecules that serve as signals between cells, including one called TNF-alpha. The authors found that the high-fat diet increased the level of TNF-alpha surrounding the taste buds. However, mice that were genetically unable to produce TNF-alpha had no reduction in taste buds. Despite gaining weight. In contrast, injecting TNF-alpha directly into the tongues of lean mice led to a reduction in taste buds. Despite the low level of body fat. Conclusions “These data together suggest that total adiposity arising from chronic exposure to a high-fat diet is associated with a low-grade inflammatory response that causes a disruption in the balancing mechanisms of taste bud bud maintenance and renewal.” Dando said. “These results may point to new therapeutic strategies to alleviate taste dysfunction in obese populations.” Something that can undoubtedly be of interest to our patients in order to warn them of the loss of sensitivity. In relation to your habits.