GLP-1 Drugs Linked to Reduced Appetite and Altered Taste Perception: Study
Doctor’s Role Uncovered in Smuggling Operation
A new study published in the journal of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism revealed that over half of individuals using semaglutide or tirzepatide experienced reduced appetite and food cravings. Increased sensitivity to sweet and salty tastes correlated with greater satiety, indicating that taste changes may signal appetite response. However, these self-reported taste changes were not linked to changes in BMI among users of GLP-1 receptor agonists.
GLP-1 receptor agonists and other incretin-based treatments have transformed the treatment of obesity and overweight by increasing satiety and decreasing appetite. Their impacts, however, go beyond metabolic control and affect behavioral and sensory elements including food choice and taste perception. This cross-sectional study looked at relationships between self-reported changes in taste perception and outcomes related to appetite in obese patients receiving dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 RAS or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RAS) under real-world settings.
On Wegovy® (n = 217), Ozempic® (n = 148), and Mounjaro® (n = 46), 411 participants answered an online survey that evaluated sociodemographic, anthropometric, and sensory alterations as well as appetite-related outcomes. This study evaluated the relationships between flavor alterations and fullness, appetite, and seeking, using multivariable logistic regression.
The baseline body mass index (BMI) of the participants were 35.6 (Wegovy®), 34.7 (Ozempic®), and 36.2 kg/m2 (Mounjaro®), respectively. Of them, 69.6% were female, and the median age was 39 [interquartile range, IQR 33–47].
Significant decreases in BMI of 17.6% (95% CI: 15.7–19.5) for Wegovy®, 17.4% (15.0–19.8) for Ozempic®, and 15.5% (8.8–22.2) for Mounjaro® were seen when models were adjusted for baseline BMI, treatment duration, dosage, age, and sex.
58.4% of participants reported feeling less hungry (Wegovy®: 54.4%, Ozempic®: 62.1%, Mounjaro®: 56.5%), whereas 63.5% reported feeling more satiated (Wegovy®: 66.8%, Ozempic®: 58.8%, Mounjaro®: 63.1%). Furthermore, a higher sense of sweet and salty flavors was observed by 21.3% and 22.6% of respondents, respectively.
Improved perception of sweet taste was substantially linked to improved fullness (adjusted odds ratios [AOR] = 2.02; 95% CI: 1.15–4.57), decreased appetite (AOR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.04–3.25), and decreased desire (AOR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.05–3.29), regardless of the kind of therapy. Increased satiety was linked to a greater impression of salty taste (AOR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.16–5.17; all p < 0.05).
Overall, this study suggest that changed taste perception following GLP-1 and combined GIP/GLP-1 RAS treatment is linked to positive appetite-related outcomes, like increased satiety and decreased food cravings in obese people.
Reference:
Kapan, A., Moser, O., Felsinger, R., Waldhoer, T., & Haider, S. (2025). Real-world insights into incretin-based therapy: Associations between changes in taste perception and appetite regulation in individuals with obesity and overweight: A cross-sectional study. Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, 27(9), 5008–5018. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.16548
