Impact of Incretin-Based Therapies on Taste Perception
Recent research presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria (September 15-19) reveals that some individuals using Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro may experience altered taste perceptions, specifically finding foods to be sweeter or saltier than before.
Study Overview
The real-world study, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, involved approximately one in five participants who reported an intensified perception of sweetness and a similar proportion exhibiting increased sensitivity to salt. These changes were associated with a decrease in appetite.
Lead researcher Othmar Moser from the University of Bayreuth, Germany, stated, “Incretin-based therapies such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are widely used for weight management, but their impact on taste perception has been unclear.” Moser emphasized that understanding these taste changes could allow clinicians to select therapies more effectively and provide tailored dietary advice, ultimately improving long-term treatment outcomes.
Participant Demographics
Professor Moser and colleagues from the Medical University of Vienna surveyed hundreds of individuals classified as overweight or obese, who were undergoing treatment with Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro for weight loss. Among the 411 participants (69.6% female), 148 were using Ozempic, 217 were on Wegovy, and 46 were using Mounjaro.
All participants had undergone treatment for a minimum of three consecutive months, with median durations of 43 weeks for Ozempic, 40 weeks for Wegovy, and 47 weeks for Mounjaro. The average BMI preceding treatment was 34.7 kg/m2 for Ozempic, 35.6 kg/m2 for Wegovy, and 36.2 kg/m2 for Mounjaro.
Survey Methodology and Findings
Participants, recruited online, were asked about any changes in their taste perception (sweetness, saltiness, sourness, and bitterness) and appetite, along with lifestyle factors, including smoking, and self-reported height and weight before and during treatment.
Reductions in BMI, adjusted for treatment duration, dosage, baseline BMI, age, and sex, were found to be 17.4% with Ozempic, 17.6% with Wegovy, and 15.5% with Mounjaro. Approximately 21.3% of participants reported that food tasted sweeter, and 22.6% reported an increased perception of saltiness. Notably, the perception of bitterness and sourness showed no significant change.
In the Wegovy group, 26.7% reported that food tasted saltier compared to 16.2% in the Ozempic group and 15.2% in the Mounjaro group. Increases in sweetness were reported consistently across the three groups (Wegovy 19.4%, Ozempic 21.6%, Mounjaro 21.7%).
Appetite and Satiety Changes
More than half of the participants (58.4%) noted a general decrease in hunger, with varying degrees of reduced appetite across treatment groups: Ozempic (62.1%), Wegovy (54.4%), and Mounjaro (56.5%). Nearly two-thirds (63.5%) reported increased satiety, feeling fuller sooner (Ozempic: 58.8%, Wegovy: 66.8%, Mounjaro: 63.1%). Additionally, food cravings diminished, with 41.3% of Mounjaro users reporting a marked reduction in cravings, compared to 34.1% for Wegovy and 29.7% for Ozempic.
Further analysis indicated correlations between altered taste perception and changes in appetite and satiety. Participants who perceived food as sweeter were twice as likely to report increased satiety and significantly more likely to report reductions in appetite and cravings compared to those whose taste perception remained unchanged. Similarly, those reporting food as saltier were approximately twice as likely to also report increased satiety.
Conclusions and Clinical Implications
Professor Moser concluded that these medications affect not only gut and brain centers regulating hunger but also taste bud cells and brain regions involved in taste and reward processing. Consequently, they may subtly alter the perception of flavors, potentially impacting appetite.
While the study did not establish a direct link between taste perception changes and BMI reduction, the researchers suggest that taste is one of many factors influencing weight loss outcomes. Monitoring changes in taste may be beneficial for assessing treatment effectiveness and tailoring dietary guidance.
Key Health Takeaway
This study highlights that incretin-based therapies such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro may influence taste perception, potentially aiding in appetite control and contributing to weight loss strategies. Recognizing these taste changes could inform clinical practices and help personalize dietary recommendations for patients undergoing treatment.
