Vape Flavor Fatigue: Why It Happens & What You Can Do About It

Flavor Fatigue or Vaper’s Tongue: What’s the Difference?

The terms “flavor fatigue” and “vaper’s tongue” are essentially two different names for exactly the same thing, and are often used interchangeably. Both refer to an often sudden and noticeable change in the taste of something we consume. In this case, that thing is vape liquid. You might still taste sweetness or bitterness, but the nuance and intensity of a flavor (fruit, dessert, menthol) can vanish.

The only real difference is that a non-vaper could potentially experience flavor fatigue if, for example, he or she only consumed food or drink of one flavor for an extended period.

That scenario is pretty unlikely, meaning that “flavor fatigue” is not a term often used outside of the vaping world. “Vaping tongue” refers more specifically to a side effect of vaping, as the name suggests, but for this article, we’ll use both terms, with the understanding that they mean the same thing.

The Main Causes of Vape Flavor Fatigue

The main and most likely cause of vape flavor fatigue is sensory adaptation. When your taste and smell receptors are constantly hit with the same flavor and aroma notes, they get used to them and stop reacting in the same way.

It’s like when you listen to the same song on loop and eventually stop noticing that it’s even playing. Combined with this is olfactory fatigue, which is when strong, persistent aromas temporarily desensitize your sense of smell (which then affects taste).

Dehydration can also be a major contributing factor in vaper’s tongue. The main ingredients of vape liquid, Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerin (VG), have a dehydrating effect on your mouth and nose. A dry mouth is not only unpleasant, but it can also markedly reduce your sense of taste and smell.

Nicotine could also be part of the problem, as it is thought to dull taste perception in some people. Many vapers note that nicotine has a slightly bitter taste, which becomes more noticeable at higher strengths, and could potentially mask or disturb the normal mix of flavor notes.

It’s worth noting that a drop in flavor from your vape is not always due to the onset of vaper’s tongue. Several other variables can influence how your vape juice tastes and how intensely the flavors in your juice hit.

• Allergies or Illness: Your sense of smell (your olfactory sense) plays a huge part in imparting the flavor of the things you taste. Anything that reduces your ability to smell (allergies, a cold, etc.) will also reduce how “normal” something tastes at that particular time.
• Failing Coil: The coil in your vape becomes less and less efficient with use. A coil that is gunked up with old vape juice or has degraded components (particularly the wicking material) will produce less flavor than a new, clean, fresh coil.
• Incorrect Vape Settings: If you notice a lack of flavor from a tried and tested vape juice after switching to a new device or making significant changes to your setup, it could be due to user error. Make sure your settings are not out of whack before blaming flavor fatigue.

Quick Fixes for Flavor Fatigue

Thankfully, vaper’s tongue is generally avoidable. But if it does hit, there are a few things you can try to reduce the effects and perhaps even make it go away: 

• Hydrate – Take a good ol’ gulp of water to rinse out your mouth, and then keep topping your hydration throughout the day.

   

• Cleanse Your Palate – Suck on a mint, sip a black coffee, or chew some menthol/citrus gum to “reset” your taste buds.

   

• Switch Flavor – If you have another flavor of e-liquid handy, switch over for at least several hours. This works best of the new flavor is completely different from the old (e.g., from coffee flavor to a citrus flavor).

   

• Clean or Replace the Coil – Burnt or gunky coils dull flavor, while fresh cotton and a clean coil dramatically improve clarity.

   

• Adjust the Wattage – Slightly lowering or raising the wattage of your device can help to hit the flavor sweet spot for the vape juice you are using.

   

• Take Care of Your Nose – If congestion or allergies are compounding the effects of vaper’s tongue, clearing it with steam inhalation or a nasal spray might help.

Do All Vapers Experience Flavor Fatigue?

The simple answer is no, not all vapers will experience vape flavor fatigue. The seemingly weird thing about this side effect is that some users will suffer from it regularly, while others will rarely or never have cause to wonder why their vape tastes dishearteningly dull. The reason for this comes down to two main things: physiology and habits.

There is a massive variation in the number of taste buds we each have. The average number is said to be between 2,000 and 8,000, which is a pretty wide range to begin with. When you also consider that this is just the average, and it is perfectly possible for you to have 500 and the person next to you to have 10,000 or more, exactly why vape flavor fatigue doesn’t hit everyone equally becomes clearer.

Added to that, age, gender, general health, and even emotions can have an impact on how well we taste and smell. For example, we generally lose a degree of taste and smell perception as we age, and the older we get, the worse the loss can be.

Your vaping habits are also a massive factor in determining whether you will experience flavor fatigue. Someone who chain-vapes the same e-liquid all day, day after day, is much more likely to suffer from flavor fatigue than someone who puffs on their device at a few set times in the day and loves trying out new flavors every time they place an e-liquid order.

How to Prevent Flavor Fatigue in the Long Term

Even those vapers most physiologically susceptible to suffering from flavor fatigue can take steps to avoid it occurring. It may be harder to avoid for some than for others, but a few simple changes in your vaping habits will go a long way to making vaper’s tongue less of a problem in the long term.

• Rotate flavors: Find at least two (preferably more) different flavor juices that you enjoy and switch regularly between them. For some, a weekly switch will be enough; others might need to change daily.

   

• Stay Hydrated: Not just a short-term fix, hydrating as a vaper is important. It not only helps prevent flavor loss but can also help to avoid oral irritation.

   

• Reduce Nicotine Strength: If you think it could be nicotine dulling the flavor, try lowering the strength or switching formulations (freebase to nic salts or vice versa).

   

• Avoid Sweet or Dessert Flavors: These are often cited as the worst flavors for vaper’s tongue because they tend to be the most intense. Find a more subtle flavor you enjoy.

   

• Take Breaks: If you are a grazer who hits the vape constantly throughout the day, you are more at risk of experiencing flavor fatigue. If taking a day-long break is unrealistic for you, at least try to take small breaks (an hour or 30 minutes) between periods of vaping.

The Bottom Line

Flavor fatigue is common, temporary, and usually fixable with simple adjustments: hydrate, rotate flavors, clean or replace coils, and give your senses a break. If the flavor doesn’t return despite those steps, consider medical advice, as persistent loss of taste and smell can indicate other conditions.