Reduced Bitter Taste and Enhanced Appetitive Odor Identification in Individuals at Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014.

Objective: An inability to correctly perceive chemosensory stimuli can lead to a poor quality of life. Such defects can be concomitant with excess alcohol consumption, but a large-scale cohort study linking these effects is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the impact of chronic alcohol consumption on chemosensory function by analyzing data from the NHANES 2013-2014, involving 395 participants categorized by alcohol intake behavior: 219 no-intake, 136 light-intake, and 40 risky-intake groups.

Methods: Chemosensory function was assessed using a self-reported Chemosensory Questionnaire along with objective tests for taste (quinine solution) and smell (appetitive and hazardous odors). Adjusted regression analyses were conducted, controlling for age, gender, smoking status, and multiple pairwise comparisons. Weighted regression analyses were also performed.

Results: Risky drinkers had significantly lower odds of identifying quinine (bitter taste) compared to light drinkers (OR = 0.37, p-adjusted = 0.04). Risky drinkers also had higher odds of identifying appetitive odors like strawberry (OR = 5.44, p-adjusted = 0.03) but lower odds for detecting hazardous odors like natural gas (OR = 0.11, p-adjusted = 0.001) compared to light drinkers. Additionally, light drinkers identified the leather scent more effectively than no drinkers (OR = 2.54, p = 0.02).

Conclusions: Chronic alcohol consumption, particularly at risky levels, is associated with altered chemosensory function. These findings emphasize the importance of assessing chemosensory symptoms in individuals with alcohol-related behaviors.