GLP-1 receptor agonists significantly impair taste function.
1Smell and Taste Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
Physiology & Behavior
|December 26, 2024
Summary
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), commonly prescribed for obesity, significantly impair taste perception. This study reveals a notable decrease in taste function among individuals using these popular weight-loss medications.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Sensory Science
Background:
- Over 10% of the US population uses glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for obesity management.
- While GLP-1 RAs reduce food cravings, their impact on chemosensory perception remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of GLP-1 RAs on taste and smell function.
- To quantify any alterations in chemosensory perception in individuals taking GLP-1 RAs compared to a control group.
Main Methods:
- Utilized quantitative taste and smell tests: the Waterless Empirical Taste Test (WETT®) and the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT®).
- Assessed 46 individuals on GLP-1 RAs and 46 matched controls, controlling for age, sex, smoking, and COVID-19 history.
- Analyzed data using analyses of variance to compare test scores between groups.
Main Results:
- GLP-1 RA users exhibited significantly diminished WETT® scores, indicating impaired taste function (p < 0.001).
- Eighty-five percent of GLP-1 RA subjects scored worse than their matched controls across all five basic taste qualities.
- Smell function (UPSIT®) showed a slight, non-significant decrease (p = 0.076); however, side effects like nausea correlated with better sensory scores.
Conclusions:
- GLP-1 RAs significantly alter taste perception, a finding demonstrated for the first time.
- The mechanism may involve central nervous system pathways, including brainstem GLP-1 receptors and vagal nerve signaling.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the physiological basis of GLP-1 RA-induced taste alterations.
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