Why does Ozempic cause a dry mouth or taste changes?
A change in taste (also called dysgeusia) is a commonly discussed side effect of Ozempic on blog sites, although the product information gives minimal information about it, apart from saying it affects more than 0.4% of people who take Ozempic.
People who have experienced food tasting bad or different with Ozempic describe their experience as:
- Food tasting too salty
- Salads, chips, coffee, or dark chocolate tasting exceptionally bitter
- A metallic taste in the mouth whenever they eat
- Food tasting distorted or weird
- An unpleasant sulfur smell or taste
- Changes in taste preferences – now preferring kale to chicken
- Their mouth feeling dry.
Some people have described the change in the way food tastes with Ozempic as being similar to the taste disturbance they experienced when they got COVID-19.
Overall, this effect probably helps with weight loss with some people reporting they had even gone off their favorite foods, although others expressed distress over this.
One small study (n=15) by Gibbons et al., 2021, did not find any difference between Ozempic and placebo (an inactive treatment) with regards to taste disturbances. Another study of 30 obese women reported that semaglutide improved taste sensitivity for all four basic tastes (sweet, sour, salt, and bitter). Experts are unsure why Ozempic alters taste perception or causes a dry mouth but Arnold, 2017 suggests it alters the way genes are expressed along the tongue tissue. More research is needed.
The most common side effects of Ozempic include stomach problems like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation. These tend to be mild-to-moderate and usually clear up in a few weeks in most people.
References
- Arnold A. 2017 Primary hyperparathyroidism: molecular genetic insights and clinical implications. Presented at Society for Endocrinology BES 2017, Harrogate, UK. Endocrine Abstracts 50 PL1
- Gibbons, C., Blundell, J., Tetens Hoff, S., Dahl, K., Bauer, R, Bækdal, T. Effects of oral semaglutide on energy intake, food preference, appetite, control of eating and body weight in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2021; 23: 581–588. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.14255
- Ozempic Prescribing Information. https://www.novo-pi.com/ozempic.pdf
Read next
Mounjaro vs Ozempic: Which is right for you?
Mounjaro and Ozempic are prescription medicines used alongside diet and exercise to help control blood sugar (glucose) levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Ozempic is also approved to lower the risk of a major cardiovascular event (like a heart attack or stroke) in patients with type 2 diabetes, as well as to reduce the risk of worsening kidney disease and heart-related death in patients with type 2 diabetes. Mounjaro has not yet received these indications, although studies are ongoing.
In a large, 2024 retrospective study in adults with overweight or obesity and treated for type 2 diabetes, Mounjaro led to at least a 5% weight loss within one year in 81.8% of adults compared to 66.5% of those using Ozempic. Continue reading
Ozempic Side Effects to Watch For
The most common Ozempic side effects with Ozempic include stomach problems, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and constipation. These tend to be mild-to-moderate and usually clear up in a few weeks in most people. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is also a common side effect (when used with certain other diabetes treatments) and it can be serious. Continue reading
What are the long-term side effects of Ozempic?
Ozempic has the potential to cause certain long-term problems that may last months or years after stopping it. Some examples of long-term side effects you may experience from Ozempic include pancreatitis, vision problems, acute kidney injury, and acute gallbladder disease.
Continue readingSee also:
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