Why Is Tongue Bitter When Sick?

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Medical Video: Natural Remedies For The Loss Of Taste And Smell

When you are sick, you may feel that whatever food or drink you consume feels bad in your mouth. Indeed, people who are sick will usually complain of a tongue that feels bitter. As a result, eating and drinking also do not taste. Even when you are sick, you need a lot of nutrient intake through food and drink. Then why does the tongue become bitter when sick? Here is the full answer.

The cause of the tongue becomes bitter when it hurts

In a study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, experts found that your taste buds would be more sensitive to the bitter taste when sick. You will usually get sick if there is inflammation or infection in your body. Whether it's influenza virus infection, streptococcal bacterial infections that cause sore throat, or various other infections. When you experience inflammation or infection, certain levels of protein in the body will increase.

This type of protein is known in the medical world as TNF-α. In addition to people who suffer from infection or inflammation, this protein is also found in many people with autoimmune diseases. This is because these proteins are needed by the body's immune system to fight various diseases that attack you.

Increased TNF-protein levelsα causes interference with your taste senses, namely the tongue. This protein activates certain cells responsible for tasting bitter taste. So whatever you eat or drink feels more bitter than usual.

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Causes of no appetite when sick

Because the food and drink you consume feels bitter, people will lose their appetite when they are sick. This is also triggered by the production of a type of protein called cytokine. Together with TNF-proteinsα, cytokines are responsible for fighting various types of diseases that attack the body. However, cytokines also have side effects, namely reducing appetite.

In addition, loss of appetite is also influenced by your body's function. If you eat a lot as usual, that means your digestive system must work hard to break down and absorb food. In fact, the body needs a lot of energy to fight disease. So, when sick your body absorbs the energy needed by the immune system. As a result, your digestive system is weakened and you don't feel the urge to eat like usual.

Increases appetite when the tongue becomes bitter

Although not appetite because the tongue becomes bitter, you still need a variety of nutritional intake so that the body becomes stronger against disease. For your appetite to increase, consider the following tips.

1. Eat often, in small portions

No need to force yourself to spend one large portion of your food. Try to reduce the portion of your food to half or a quarter of the normal portion. However, within a few hours you can continue eating again. That way, your digestion won't work too hard every time you eat. In addition, you also do not need to hold back the bitter taste for too long when eating.

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2. Eat nutritious food

Even though you don't eat much, make sure that the nutrients your body needs, such as protein, vitamins and minerals, are still sufficient. So, multiply nutritious foods such as chicken, beef, vegetables, and fruits. Instead you eat a lot but the nutrients are not balanced, it's better to solidify each of your food and drinks with important nutrients.

3. Add spices

Because the tongue becomes bitter, you can strengthen the taste of food with natural spices. Apart from adding to the taste of food, certain spices are also effective in increasing appetite. You can try adding ginger, pepper and cinnamon in dishes such as soup and stews. In addition, you can also brew tea with ginger and cinnamon as an alternative to water which usually feels bitter on the tongue.

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4. Eat oranges

To reduce bitter taste in the mouth, you can eat fruits such as oranges, lemons, or red grapefruit (grapefruit) In addition to its fresh taste, these fruits can trigger the production of saliva. Saliva will help the mouth cleanse the bitter taste on the tongue. You can eat it directly or squeeze the juice to make it easier for the body to digest.

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Why Is Tongue Bitter When Sick?
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