Fat taste sensitivity (CD36)

CD36 is a receptor on the tongue that helps you detect fat in food. A common variant lowers how much CD36 you make, which can make fatty foods register less strongly, so some people add more fat to reach the same satisfying mouthfeel.

What CD36 does

CD36 is a receptor that binds long-chain fatty acids, and it is present on taste bud cells as well as in the gut, muscle and fat tissue. Its presence on the tongue is the main biological argument for fat being a taste in its own right, alongside sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami, rather than only a texture.

This variant sits in the gene's regulatory region and is associated with how much CD36 protein is produced.

How weak the evidence is, which is the point of this page

This is among the least well-supported entries on this site, and it is more honest to say so than to describe the trait confidently. The site's evidence file records no genome-wide association study for this variant, and ClinVar classifies it as benign.

The human taste literature consists of small laboratory studies, and it is openly contradictory. Some found that people with one genotype detected fatty acid at lower concentrations, others found the opposite direction, and others found the association only in participants with obesity or only in one ethnic group. Reviews describe the data as controversial and call for larger studies.

How to read your result here

Lightly. If the result matches your experience of rich or creamy foods, that is a pleasant coincidence more than a confirmation. If it does not match, the result is not telling you something your tongue has missed.

Fat detection thresholds also track with body fat and BMI in several of these studies independently of genotype, which is one reason the genetic signal has been so hard to pin down.

How common it is

This is ordinary common variation: in 1000 Genomes reference data roughly 29% of European-ancestry individuals carry two copies and 50% carry one, with broadly similar figures across other populations. A variant this evenly spread, with effects this inconsistent, is not going to explain individual food preferences.

What each rs1761667 genotype means

rs1761667 has three possible genotypes: GG, AG and AA.

Higher fat-taste sensitivity (rs1761667 GG). You have two copies of the higher-CD36 version, so you likely detect fat in food more keenly. People like this sometimes find very fatty foods rich or heavy, and a little fat goes a long way.

Intermediate fat-taste sensitivity (rs1761667 AG). You carry one copy of the lower-CD36 variant, placing your sensitivity to the taste of fat somewhere in the middle. Many people are here, and habit and overall diet matter more than this gene.

Lower fat-taste sensitivity (rs1761667 AA). You have two copies of the lower-CD36 variant, so fatty foods may register less strongly for you. Some people like this add more fat or oil to reach the same satisfying mouthfeel, which is worth being aware of for portion sizes.

Evidence & sources

Across global populations, about 24% of people carry two copies of this variant, and about 28% carry none.

Common questions

Does this variant explain why I like fatty foods? Almost certainly not on its own. The studies behind this association are small and point in different directions, and food preference is shaped by exposure, culture, texture and everything else on the plate.

Related

Alcohol response (flushing & dependence risk) · Beta-carotene to vitamin A conversion (BCO1) · Folate metabolism (MTHFR gene) · HDL cholesterol · Omega-3/6 conversion efficiency · Sweet tooth / carbohydrate preference (FGF21) · Total cholesterol