A growing number of users say Ozempic is rewiring their taste buds in ways they never saw coming.
The blockbuster weight loss drug isn’t just shrinking waistlines. It’s changing how people experience food altogether, leading to the phenomenon that’s now being called the Ozempic tongue.
It takes away “all the joy of eating away,” one said about its effects.
The Ozempic tongue is yet another entry in the growing list of side effects
Image credits: David Trinks/Unsplash
The weight loss medication that was seen as a blessing for many is now turning into a head-to-toe kind of transformation for its users.
Many have complained about unexpected side effects like the Ozempic butt, the Ozempic mouth, and the Ozempic feet.
It has come to light that the side effects also include a dramatic shift in how taste is perceived.
Image credits: luismolinero/stock.adobe.com
New York-based obesity specialist Dr. Daniel Rosen told the Daily Mail that users of GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy have been ditching food items that they normally consume.
He said regular meat eaters have been reporting a “metallic” taste when they consume their go-to steaks, sausages or other cuts.
On the other hand, long-time vegetarians have been having the opposite effect, where they have unusually started craving meat.
Stars like Emily Simpson have spoken about how “nothing tastes good” while taking Ozempic
Image credits: rhoc_emilysimpson
Celebrities have also been talking about how their taste buds have changed since they added Ozempic-like medications to their weight loss regimen.
Emily Simpson said Ozempic was “great for [her] diet” because it helped her develop better eating habits and a robust fitness routine.
Image credits: Girl Talk Logic
“It really just kickstarted me into eating better and eating healthier ’cause it makes you feel like crap ’cause nothing tastes good,” she told Us Weekly in July, 2023.
Although her use of Ozempic was “very-short lived,” she said it was still “very effective.”
Emily Simpson said she stopped taking the medication because she would “constantly feel nauseous”
Image credits: rhoc_emilysimpson
“It was very motivating when I started to notice that I was eating better and I’d lost a little weight and then the liposuction [in my arms] was helpful,” she told the outlet.
“It was a good kickstart for me, but it was very difficult for me to function,” she continued. “I have three small children, so I couldn’t feel like that all the time. I can’t constantly feel nauseous. So it was very short-lived, but it was very effective.”
Image credits: Cavan for Adobe/stock.adobe.com
Botched star Terry Dubrow called Ozempic the “biggest breakthrough in medical history” but said the “low-grade nausea” and the change in taste was not always worth it.
The plastic surgeon said the medication really took “all the joy of eating away.”
He told Page Six in January 2024 that he quit the medication so he could enjoy his meals during the holidays.
Terry Dubrow said Ozempic really took “all the joy of eating away”
Image credits: drdubrow
“I thought, ‘You know what, I kind of want to get my appetite back. The holidays are coming, I want to enjoy myself,’” he says of his reason for quitting.
Experts have revealed that Ozempic could make food taste less enjoyable and also keep cravings in check.
“Many patients find their cravings decrease, and they may become more open to healthier foods they previously disliked,” obesity medicine physician Michael L. Glickman, MD, told First For Women.
Image credits: E! News
Jennie Stanford, MD, a family physician and obesity medicine specialist, said Ozempic could reduce cravings “for sugary foods and even alcohol” because of the change in taste.
“Recent studies demonstrate that Ozempic may also make foods taste different to people who are taking it, a phenomenon called ‘Ozempic tongue,’” the doctor told MDLinx. “Some people taking Ozempic report that sweet foods taste metallic, sour, or bitter.”
Experts said Ozempic users are likely to experience a metallic, sour or bitter taste
Image credits: annanahabed/stock.adobe.com
“As this is less palatable, it discourages eating those types of foods, providing an additional avenue for weight loss,” she added.
She explained that the Ozempic tongue does not have to be seen as a “bad” side-effect as the change in taste could help achieve weight loss goals.
Obesity specialist Dr. Daniel Rosen said meat eaters may steer away from steaks and sausages, while vegetarians might start craving meat
Image credits: drdanielrosen
“We really don’t know yet what is causing this. There are theories that Ozempic alters the gene on the taste receptors of the tongue, but no theory has yet been backed up by conclusive evidence. More research is required.”
Netizens had varying opinions about the Ozempic tongue side effect, with one saying, “Being lazy and taking the easy route sometimes has its consequences.”
Image credits: E! News
“Not everyone is meant to be a size 6, quit emaciating yourselves by going too far on this stuff,” one wrote.
“This put me in the hospital. Most exruciating stomach pain I ever had,” said another.
One shared their own experience and said, “I have only had a bit of nausea. The amazing side effect is, I can eat a fraction of what I used to eat, and be full for hours.”
“The longer I took it, the worse the vomiting got,” one commented online
