Does sweet tolerance decline with age?

[Isolda]

I know children can tolerate more sugar than adults, but I'm wondering if it's natural for adults who have always had a sweet tooth to lose their preference for sugar in middle age. I've always been a high carb person and could never imagine going on one of those horrid low-carb diets even if I needed to drop a few pounds. Lately, however, I've noticed that I don't want dessert as often or that when I have it, I think it's way too sweet. I can only eat about half the dessert portion I used to eat, and when I bake recipes I've used for decades, I find that I need to reduce the sugar. It's not that I don't want sugar, just that I want less of it.

Is this is a common thing, and if so, what's the physiological basis for it?

[klyeoh]

It certainly does for me.

[GraceW]

I know so many 90-year-olds that only eat ice cream... so maybe it declines but then in the 80s and 90s, then it (Alone) returns?

[sunshine842]

that's what I'm wondering...I know my sweet tolerance has plummeted since I was a kid...maybe when all my tastebuds die I'll be back to PopTarts (hope not).

[klyeoh]

I think nanogenarians' predilection for ice-cream is not so much for the sugar content, but rather for something soft & easy on the gums.

[sunshine842]

could be -- they could also just be like my grandfather, who's still got all his teeth at 92...but has been a blatant ice-cream and lemon-meringue-pie junkie for as long as I can remember.

[klyeoh]

Wish I can be like him when I'm 92 :-)

[sunshine842]

Me, too -- he's still fiercely independent, still drives (safely), and lives with his girlfriend. :D

And is still trim and in great shape for 92, even with all the ice cream and pie.

[paulj]

I heard of older people (above 60) loosing a sense of smell, and wanting more sweets because that's the only thing that tastes good (i.e. not bland).

[Isolda]

Well, I am very glad that's not the case here!

[sueatmo]

My MIL oversweetened everything. My FIL was diabetic but that did not stop his wife from using sugar. I do think that some elders lose some sense of taste and/or smell, and so might want lots of sweet, as paulj has suggested. My 92 year old mother eats sweets with abandon, whenever available.

[EWSflash]

+1

[beevod]

Mine has increased.

[david t.]

I think so, but it could be that one just becomes more discerning rather than sweet intolerant. Another reason is that you've gone through adolescents and the growing stage and your physically activity has likely declined. You're body doesn't need the sugar as it it would if you were athletic or a fitness fanatic.

Another question. Do you think you're salt tolerance has INCREASED with age? I think mine has.

[srsone]

my sweet and salty tastes have not diminished/changed as far i have noticed...

now my lactose tolerance on the other hand...that has changed...regular milk and certain cheeses and some ice creams now the only way i can eat them is with at least 3 lactaid pills..

thats a more recent development..as i never had a problem with them when i was younger..

[Delucacheesemonger]

Always had low tolerance for salty food, dealbreaker for me in food. Never loved sweet things, but now every dessert is too sweet, thus always get savories as dessert. Last night at Auberge Bressande had a comte cheese souffle as dessert.

[linguafood]

It did for me.

[three of us]

Oh, I can relate. I did wonder if all the HFCS in foodstuffs changed palates to want sweeter tasting goodies and thus everything was made sweeter, but if I have someone's homemade dessert I still think it is too sweet.

I have always loved sweets and used to be able to eat anything I wanted and still be skinny. Ha! Those days are gone and I have to be careful about caloric intake. Even with daily exercise and doing strength training, I don't drop weight like I used to. Perhaps the shift to a slower metabolism is related to a desire for less sugar?

As we get older and and given we are foodies, do our palates become more sophisticated and desirous of more in our desserts than just a lot of sugar?

[tinnywatty]

I don't know the answer to this, but it definitely has happened to me (and I'm only 20!). I find that I can no longer eat sweets in the same quantity, though I still crave them, and I only need a few bites of very rich desserts.
Maybe it's our bodies' needed response to the gradual slowing of the metabolism that comes with aging? =)