A new European study has found that weight loss drugs can alter taste perception, which may help patients reduce cravings and feel fuller.
The research presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria shows that some individuals who are taking Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro find that foods taste sweeter or saltier than before.
About 21% of those participating in the real-word study, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, perceived sweetness more intensely and a similar number were more sensitive to salt – and these changes were linked to a reduction in appetite.
Incretin-based therapies such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro are widely used for weight management “but their effect on taste perception has been unclear,” says Othmar Moser, of University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany, who led the research.
“If changes in taste are linked to greater appetite control and weight loss, this could help clinicians better select therapies, provide more tailored dietary advice and improve long-term treatment outcomes for patients,” he added.
The researchers called for more long-term studies to understand the sensory effects of these drugs, stressing that monitoring taste changes may help doctors monitor
