Bitter-Sweet Symphony: Sense of Taste Affects Lifespan in Fruit Flies

A new study has found that sense of taste - at least in fruit flies - affects lifespan.

The study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan and colleagues found that bitter tastes decrease lifespan, while sweet tastes positively affect longevity. Their research also showed that fruit flies that couldn't taste water had 43% longer lifespan than other flies.

According to researchers, loss of taste could lead to several physiological changes that help these flies live longer.

Flies that couldn't taste water might feel that it isn't getting enough water and so, start accumulating fats. These fats could be later broken down to obtain water.

 "We know they're able to help us avoid or be attracted to certain foods but in fruit flies, it appears that taste may also have a very profound effect on the physiological state and healthy aging," said Scott Pletcher, Ph.D., from University of Michigan and lead author of the study, according to a news release.

For the study, researchers removed taste receptors from flies' legs, wings and mouthparts. Researchers found that genetically engineered flies that had their mouth taste receptors removed lived longer than other flies, Livescience reported. However, when leg and wing taste receptors were removed, these flies experienced a decrease in lifespan. Additionally, researchers found that the flies with altered taste receptors didn't change their diets.

The study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

Researchers said that further studies are needed to examine the relationship between bitter and sweet taste and its effects on health.

"Our world is shaped by our sensing abilities that help us navigate our surroundings and by dissecting how this affects aging, we can lay the groundwork for new ideas to improve our health," said Joy Alcedo, Ph.D., senior author of the other study and assistant professor at the Department of Biological Sciences at Wayne State University.