Philadelphia, PA — Dr. Richard Doty, Director of the Smell and Taste Center at the University of Pennsylvania and a world-renowned expert in chemosensory research, was featured in a national USA TODAY article examining emerging evidence that popular GLP-1 medications may alter patients’ sense of taste.
The USA TODAY feature, “These people lost their sense of taste. Are GLP-1s to blame?” explores firsthand patient experiences alongside new scientific findings, including a March 2025 University of Pennsylvania study co-authored by Dr. Doty. The study found that 85% of individuals taking GLP-1 medications demonstrated diminished taste function across all five basic taste qualities, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami, compared to those not taking the drugs.
“We were quite surprised,” Dr. Doty told USA TODAY. “It’s a significant decrement in the ability to taste the basic taste qualities.”
GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, have become increasingly mainstream treatments for diabetes, obesity, and related metabolic conditions. While appetite suppression and weight loss are well-documented effects, changes in taste perception are now gaining greater scientific and public attention.
As highlighted in the article, Dr. Doty explained that GLP-1 receptors are present on nerves involved in taste perception, suggesting a biological pathway for these sensory changes. He also emphasized that diminished taste may play a critical role in altering food preferences and reducing the “reinforcement value” of certain foods.
“The whole taste experience is down-regulated,” Doty said. “When the enjoyment is decreased, it’s going to affect your food choices.”
The USA TODAY coverage highlights the growing importance of chemosensory research as GLP-1 use among Americans has more than doubled in the past year. Dr. Doty noted that further investigation is needed to understand why taste changes vary widely among individuals, the role of genetics, and whether these effects persist after discontinuing the medication.
“This is a whole new area of medical research,” he said. “We’re just at the tip of the iceberg.”