Chewing gum restores dad's taste and smell years after Covid

Source: Hacker News

A dad who lost his sense of taste and smell for years after catching COVID‑19 has had both senses restored – thanks to specially‑developed chewing gum. The revolutionary clinical trial at the University of Nottingham had participants chew flavoured gums for 12 weeks. The gums featured super‑strength flavours such as spicy, minty, sour and sweet, designed to encourage repair of brain connections associated with smell and taste.

One participant, Dr Paul Wicks, 44, lost his taste and smell after contracting COVID‑19 in August 2022 and never regained them.

Covid survivor says losing smell affected family memories

The dad‑of‑two from Litchfield, Staffordshire, could eat the spiciest curries with no effect and couldn’t smell a thing when changing nappies. He longed to smell his favourite aromas – coffee beans, shaving cream, his favourite foods, and his children’s hair.

After just six weeks of the 12‑week trial (which began in November 2024), Paul noticed his sense of taste and smell returning and says they have now been restored to pre‑COVID levels.

“My sense of smell and taste went with COVID – and never came back. I couldn’t smell anything when taking out the bins or changing nappies – but I also found it sad that everything smelled like nothing.
Your memory formation is influenced by smells – birthday cakes, your dog, things from your childhood. I was concerned I wasn’t making good memories, especially with my kids and wife.
For the first few weeks of the trial I didn’t notice anything, until I tasted a blueberry in my oats for breakfast one day and this sweet flavour exploded. That was the first time I had tasted my breakfast in years.
Over the weeks I started being able to taste and smell things again, and now I’m back to where I was pre‑COVID. I feel great.
Now one of the highlights of my week is refilling my coffee machine with beans. When you lose something and then get it back, it gives you a new appreciation. I literally stop and smell the roses.”

Dad realised senses were returning after tasting blueberry at breakfast

Paul first learned about the trial through the charity SmellTaste, which supports people with impaired smell and taste. Sixteen people participated in the pilot; 67 % reported improved smell and 83 % reported improved taste.

The decentralised trial (conducted from participants’ homes) provided specially formulated chewing gums that retained flavour longer and changed flavour as they were chewed. The flavours were designed to hit different combinations – sweet, salty, sour, cooling menthol, and spicy.

“The theory Nicole [Yang] had was that if you want to train yourself to distinguish flavour, you have to eat things.
The chewing gums were specially formulated to keep their flavour for longer, and actually change flavour as you chew.
The flavours were formulated to hit different combinations – like sweet, salty, sour, cooling menthol, a spicy one.”

Paul chewed the gums every morning and evening, and after six weeks noticed the change when he ate a blueberry for breakfast. A few days later the improvement was confirmed when he walked over dog poo with his lawnmower.

Even the smell of bins now feels like a victory

“The dog poo and cut grass assaulted my senses – but it gave me hope something was working.
Over the next six weeks I started being able to taste food, smell my kids’ hair after the shower, and smell my deodorant. By the end of the trial, I had clinically significant improvements.”

Paul added that he had almost accepted he would never regain his senses. After a birthday meal where he could not taste or smell the food, the world felt “a bit grey.” Now he celebrates even mundane smells:

“I still say ‘hooray!’ whenever I smell the bin – until I have to empty it.”

The team at the University of Nottingham, led by Dr Nicole Yang, is now seeking funding for a larger trial.