Popular weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are already known for helping people control appetite and shed pounds.
But new research suggests they may also change the way food tastes—making it seem sweeter or saltier than before.
These shifts in taste could be one of the reasons why people feel less hungry while taking them.
The findings were presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna and published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
The study, led by Professor Othmar Moser of the University of Bayreuth, Germany, surveyed more than 400 people with overweight or obesity who were taking one of the three drugs for weight management.
Of the 411 participants, about 70% were women. They included 148 people on Ozempic, 217 on Wegovy, and 46 on Mounjaro.
All had been on treatment for at least three months, with an average treatment duration of around 40 to 47 weeks.
Before starting medication, their average body mass index (BMI) ranged from 34.7 to 36.2, which is within the obesity range.
The participants were asked about changes in taste perception—specifically sweetness, saltiness, sourness, and bitterness—since beginning treatment. They also reported on appetite, satiety (how quickly they felt full), food cravings, lifestyle habits such as smoking, and self-reported weight.
The results were intriguing. Around one in five participants said food tasted sweeter or saltier than before. Sweetness perception increased for about 21% of participants, while 23% noticed stronger saltiness.
Interestingly, these changes were tied to appetite control. People who found food sweeter were twice as likely to feel full sooner, 67% more likely to report reduced appetite, and 85% more likely to say their cravings had diminished.
Those who noticed stronger saltiness were more than twice as likely to report feeling full faster.
Overall, the drugs were effective for weight loss. Adjusted reductions in BMI were similar across groups: 17.4% with Ozempic, 17.6% with Wegovy, and 15.5% with Mounjaro. More than half of participants reported being less hungry, and nearly two-thirds said they felt full more quickly than before.
Food cravings dropped too, particularly among Mounjaro users, 41% of whom reported major reductions in cravings compared to 34% for Wegovy and 30% for Ozempic.
Professor Moser explained why taste changes might occur: “These drugs act not only in the gut and brain areas that control hunger but also on taste bud cells and brain regions that process taste and reward.
This means they can subtly change how strong flavors, like sweetness or saltiness, are perceived. This, in turn, may affect appetite.”
However, the study found no direct link between taste changes and actual weight loss. Researchers believe that while taste can influence appetite in the moment, long-term weight loss depends on a much wider range of factors, including metabolism, eating habits, and physical activity.
The study does have limitations. The data were self-reported, making it less precise, and the participants may not fully represent everyone who uses these drugs. Still, the findings offer a new perspective on how medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro might influence eating behavior beyond simple appetite suppression.
Moser concluded that monitoring changes in taste could be a useful way to track how well the treatments are working.
It might also help clinicians tailor dietary advice, guiding patients toward foods that remain appealing while avoiding those that may taste too strong or less enjoyable.
For patients, the takeaway is that if food tastes different while on these medications, it might not just be in their head—it could be part of how the drugs are helping them control appetite.
