It’s not just your dress size that could change on Ozempic.
Doctors are now warning about how your taste in food could also dramatically shift.
According to New York-based obesity specialist Dr. Daniel Rosen, some individuals who are enthusiastic meat consumers have experienced a change in their taste preferences when taking weight loss medications. They have reported a peculiar ‘metallic’ taste in their mouth, causing them to lose interest in steaks, sausages, and other meats.
He says he has also seen the reverse of this, with vegetarians suddenly having a craving for meat as their taste buds change on the meds.
Various celebrities have come forward to discuss this unusual side effect associated with weight loss drugs. For instance, Emily Simpson from The Real Housewives of Orange County shared her experience with Ozempic, mentioning that the medication made everything taste unpleasant, leading to a loss of appetite.
Additionally, celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Terry Dubrow decided to discontinue the use of Ozempic during the holiday season because he wanted to savor the flavors of food once more. This phenomenon, often referred to as ‘Ozempic tongue,’ has impacted several well-known personalities, highlighting the challenges they face in maintaining enjoyable eating experiences while on weight loss treatment.
Confirming the ‘Ozempic tongue’ phenomenon, a recent study by the University of Arkansas looking at how weight loss drugs impact peoples’ food choices found that many users reported consuming less soda, refined grains and beef.
There were also reductions in the consumption of starchy vegetables, pork, coffee, fish and seafood, nuts, eggs, alcohol, fruit juice and dairy milk.
Several celebrities have stepped forward talking about this bizarre side effect of weight loss medications and The Real Housewives of Orange County star, Emily Simpson, previously told how Ozempic made her feel so awful ‘because nothing tastes good’. Pictured above left, in 2019 and right, earlier this year
Meanwhile, fruits, leafy greens and water showed an overall increase in consumption.
The researchers did not reveal why these changes occurred but Dr Rosen believes that the way the brain is wired has something to do with the shifting tastes.
He told this website: ‘You have to remember that taste is not just in your tongue it is also in your brain.
‘We know GLP-1s lessen the dopamine hit from food, making the experience less enjoyable, which could be why tastes start to shift.
‘Think of seeing a photo of a juicy burger on a menu and that first bite with the explosion of flavor in your mouth and juices dripping down to your chin.
‘That is the pleasure system in the brain responding to food. If all of that is dampened or turned off in the brain because of the GLP-1 medications you can see why someone would say food tastes different or that things don’t taste the same.
‘Patients might say everything tastes the same, or food tastes so bland.’
Some people on the medications, Dr Rosen says, report a metallic taste that is independent of food consumption, so he reveals that that could be another way ‘Ozempic tongue’ can impact daily food experience.
Lastly, he explains that Ozempic and other weight loss medications can cause gastric emptying issues, including heartburn and reflux, due to its mechanism of slowing digestion.
Other famous faces to feel the wrath of ‘Ozempic tongue’ include celebrity plastic surgeon Dr Terry Dubrow who stopped taking the drug for the festive season because he wanted to enjoy the taste of food again
It’s not just your clothing size that could change on Ozempic and doctors are now warning how your taste in food could also dramatically shift
Because of this, he says patients can sometimes experience the taste of stomach acid in the back of their throat known as ‘water brash’.
The weight specialist adds: ‘This can be unpleasant, leaving a sour taste and as a result, alter the taste and enjoyment of food.’
On Reddit, various threads feature hundreds of Ozempic users who have been blighted by ‘Ozempic tongue’.
In one forum, a Redditor reveals: ‘I’ve noticed a much stronger sensitivity to spicy foods – I used to be able to eat “medium” heat with no issues but now even mild spice seems so strong!’
In response to this side effect, another commenter wrote: ‘Same! I swear, the other day, black pepper was almost too spicy for me. I also cannot handle salty foods very well. I never add salt to my dishes and if it naturally salty, I can barely eat it anymore.’
New York-based obesity medicine specialist Dr Daniel Rosen says he has seen avid meat eaters give up steaks, sausages and their other favorite cuts completely as they’ve reported the GLP-1 medications giving meat a ‘metallic’ taste
Another Ozempic patient said they had completely gone of sweets since using the drug, explaining: ‘I’ve been Ozempic and over time it seems like I cannot tolerate anything that is sweet.
‘I completely quit soda and all I drink is water, carbonated water, and for energy it was either an Alani [energy drink] or coffee. Now I can’t drink Alani anymore or even drink coffee because it just tastes too sweet and like chemicals.
‘Same for sweets like if I wanted to have a cheat day and eat ice cream or like a small cake slice. The only things I can handle now are popsicles, smoothies, and yogurt.’
While some people might be perturbed by their changing tastes, Dr Rosen says ‘Ozempic tongue’ can be beneficial as it often causes people to ‘lean into healthier and lower calorie foods’.
He adds: ‘Ozempic tongue is a benefit because if the goal is weight loss then consuming less calories is critical to that end.
‘These medications accomplish that not just by suppressing your appetite but also by modifying your food experience and making it less rewarding.
‘That becomes a trade-off, but for those who have been struggling with being overweight or obese for most of their lives it’s one they are only too happy to accept.’
