A new study has shown that the drug semaglutide can help improve taste sensitivity in women with obesity by modifying gene expression in the tongue responsible for taste perception. Participants who took semaglutide also experienced a change in the brain’s response to sweet tastes. People with obesity often have a weakened sense of taste, which can affect how they experience different flavors. Factors such as smoking, aging, medications, and obesity itself can all impact a person’s sense of taste over time. Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has shown promise in improving taste sensitivity in women with obesity.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, aimed to understand the mechanisms behind alterations in taste perception in obese individuals. Participants in the study received semaglutide or a placebo for 16 weeks, and their taste sensitivity was measured using strips impregnated with four basic tastes. MRI scans were used to evaluate brain responses to sweet tastes before and after a standard meal, and tongue biopsies were conducted to evaluate gene expression in the taste buds. The results showed that semaglutide not only improved taste perception in participants but also led to changes in taste bud gene expression and brain activity in response to sweet tastes.
While the study focused on a specific taste in a controlled environment, the findings suggest that semaglutide may have potential implications for treating obesity and diabetes through its effects on taste sensitivity. Improvements in taste sensitivity can influence food intake and may help regulate eating behavior. By modulating gustatory coding in the brain, semaglutide could potentially play a role in controlling food intake and promoting healthier eating habits. However, further research is needed to confirm the efficacy of semaglutide in treating obesity and its impact on taste perception.
Dr. Mir Ali, a board-certified bariatric surgeon, found the study’s findings intriguing and highlighted the relationship between taste and weight loss. Changes in taste sensation can influence food choices and eating behaviors, making it easier or harder to consume healthy foods. Improved taste sensitivity may make healthier foods more appealing, but it can also potentially enhance the taste of unhealthy foods. Understanding the mechanisms by which semaglutide affects taste perception could help improve interventions for obesity and diabetes by targeting the sensory aspects of food intake.
Overall, the study suggests that semaglutide may have a beneficial impact on taste sensitivity in women with obesity, potentially influencing food choices and eating behaviors. By modulating gene expression in the tongue and brain responses to sweet tastes, semaglutide could play a role in controlling food intake and promoting healthier eating habits. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the potential implications of semaglutide on taste perception and weight loss in individuals with obesity.
