Why does food taste different or disgust me on Mounjaro, Wegovy or Ozempic?
A changed sense of taste is a listed side effect of Wegovy, Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide). Australia's Product Information lists it as common on Wegovy, 1.7% vs 0.5% on placebo, and uncommon on Mounjaro and Ozempic. The semaglutide labels also report fewer food cravings. For nausea, healthdirect suggests small, frequent meals without fatty, spicy or very sweet foods.
- Side-effect rates on this page come from each medicine’s Australian Product Information (PI) or Consumer Medicine Information (CMI), named each time.
- We don’t rank medicines, name sellers or publish prices.
Is a change in taste a side effect of these medicines?
Yes. The Australian Wegovy (semaglutide) label lists changed taste as common. In weight trials, 1.7% of people on Wegovy 2.4 mg had it, against 0.5% on placebo (a dummy injection).3
The label says it was seen mainly while the dose was being increased.3 The Wegovy leaflet calls it an “unpleasant, abnormal or altered taste sensation”.4 The Mounjaro (tirzepatide) label lists changed taste as uncommon, affecting 0.1% to under 1% of people.1 Its leaflet lists “changes to how foods or drinks taste”.2 The Ozempic label, for type 2 diabetes, also lists it as uncommon.5
None of these Australian labels lists food aversion, or disgust at particular foods, as a side effect.1–5 The Mounjaro and Wegovy leaflets say you can report any side effect to the TGA, as our TGA answer explains.2,4 Every listed effect is in Guide 5: side effects and risks.
Why might foods you used to like put you off?
The Australian semaglutide labels say it reduces hunger and food cravings. The Mounjaro label says tirzepatide regulates appetite and cuts how much you eat.1,3,5
In animal studies, semaglutide acted on the brain’s reward system and moved eating away from high-fat, sweet foods.3 In a 20-week trial, people on Wegovy had fewer cravings for dairy and savoury foods than on placebo.3 They also had less desire for sweet food and a lower relative preference for high-fat food.3
The Mounjaro label reports a shift to lower-fat food only in rodent studies.1 It says tirzepatide slows how fast the stomach empties, most after the first dose, and that this effect lessens over time.1
In a 16-week Slovenian trial, 30 women with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome took semaglutide 1 mg or placebo. Semaglutide raised their scores on a taste recognition test.6 That dose is lower than Wegovy’s 2.4 mg maintenance dose.3 In an online survey of 411 people on Wegovy, Ozempic or Mounjaro, recruited through online GLP‑1 support groups, 21.3% said sweet tastes seemed stronger. About 7 in 10 noticed no change, and a survey like this can’t show the medicine caused it.7
What can you eat when food puts you off?
For nausea, healthdirect says not to skip meals but to eat small amounts more often, and to stay away from fatty, spicy or very sweet foods.8
It lists dry crackers, ginger, salty chips, clear soup and noodles as foods that may be easier to eat. It suggests small sips of cold, clear fluids, or icy poles if you can’t drink, and not lying down right after you eat.8
For indigestion, which can include burping, healthdirect suggests small meals every few hours and nothing to eat for 3 hours before bed. Triggers can include fatty, spicy and acidic foods, coffee and alcohol.9
The Mounjaro and Wegovy leaflets say stomach side effects can dehydrate you, so drink enough fluids.2,4 The Mounjaro leaflet says not to change your dose unless your doctor tells you to.2 For significant stomach symptoms, the Wegovy label tells prescribers to consider delaying dose increases.3 For protein from everyday foods, see Guide 8: life on a GLP‑1.
What do people on Mounjaro and similar medicines report about food aversions?
From public patient forums: 11 Reddit threads in r/Zepbound and r/Mounjaro, read in October 2026. Personal reports, not medical evidence.
What people describe
- Matches the labels Many say sweets, soft drinks and processed foods now taste far too sweet, and several say other food and drink taste different too. The Australian labels list changed taste, as common on Wegovy and uncommon on Mounjaro.1,4
- Matches the labels Many say fried, greasy or rich food no longer appeals, or brings on heartburn or burping. The Wegovy label reports a lower preference for high-fat food, and both leaflets list heartburn and burping.2–4
- Not studied Many name eggs, meat or coffee as foods that now put them off. We found no study of aversions to particular foods, and the Australian labels don’t list them.1–5
- Not studied Several say aversions were worst in the first weeks or after a dose increase, then eased over months. A few say some never went. We found no study of how long aversions last.
Advice people share
- Matches healthdirect Many lean on soups, shakes and small, plain or cold foods on bad days. For nausea, healthdirect suggests eating small amounts more often, clear soup, dry crackers and small sips of cold fluids.8
- Not studied Several save richer meals for the last days before the next injection, when appetite returns. We found no study of timing meals within the dose week.
- Matches the leaflets Several say to drink plenty of water. The Mounjaro and Wegovy leaflets say to drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration.2,4
- Matches the Wegovy label Several say not to move up a dose until sickness settles. For significant stomach symptoms, the Australian Wegovy label tells prescribers to consider delaying dose increases.3 The Mounjaro leaflet says not to change your dose unless your doctor tells you to.2
- vomit blood, or your vomit looks like coffee grounds10
- vomit bile (green vomit)10
- have severe or constant tummy pain8,10
- have chest pain8,10
- are confused8
Get medical help straight away, from your doctor or an emergency department, if you are vomiting and have signs of dehydration, can’t keep water down, or it has gone on for more than 48 hours, healthdirect says.10
Call your doctor straight away if you have severe stomach pain that won’t go away and may reach your back, with or without vomiting. The Mounjaro and Wegovy leaflets list this as a sign of an inflamed pancreas.2,4 For advice any time, call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria).11
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Sources
- Eli Lilly. Mounjaro and Mounjaro KwikPen (tirzepatide) Australian Product Information, vA14.0, date of revision 2 October 2026, sections 4.8 and 5.1. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
- Eli Lilly. Mounjaro KwikPen (tirzepatide) Consumer Medicine Information, prepared September 2026, sections 4 and 6. Australian leaflet. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
- Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) Australian Product Information, date of revision 22 June 2026, sections 4.2, 4.8 and 5.1. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
- Novo Nordisk. Wegovy FlexTouch (semaglutide) Consumer Medicine Information, prepared July 2026, sections 1, 2 and 6. Australian leaflet. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
- Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) Australian Product Information, date of revision 25 September 2026, sections 4.1, 4.8 and 5.1. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
- Jensterle M et al. Semaglutide and taste in women with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized placebo-controlled study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2025;111(1):e270-e280. DOI 10.1210/clinem/dgaf278. PMID 40341357. 30 women, single-blinded, Slovenia. PubMed
- Kapan A et al. Real-world insights into incretin-based therapy: associations between changes in taste perception and appetite regulation in individuals with obesity and overweight: a cross-sectional study. Diabetes Obes Metab 2025;27(9):5008-18. DOI 10.1111/dom.16548. PMID 40552449. Online survey of 411 adults recruited through social media; no specific funding. PubMed
- healthdirect. Nausea (last reviewed June 2025). healthdirect.gov.au
- healthdirect. Indigestion (last reviewed February 2026). healthdirect.gov.au
- healthdirect. Vomiting (last reviewed February 2024). healthdirect.gov.au
- Healthdirect Australia. How healthdirect can help you (helpline 1800 022 222, NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). healthdirect.gov.au
Last checked 24 Oct 2026 · Next review due 24 Oct 2027 · Report an error
How this answer was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above, all checked on 24 Oct 2026. The ‘What people report’ section summarises public patient forum posts we read; it is not medical evidence, and we never pass on advice that goes against the label. We don’t publish medicine prices, and we don’t name, rank or link to sellers or telehealth services. It’s general information, not medical advice, and nothing here is an offer to supply any medicine. Talk to a GP, pharmacist or other qualified prescriber before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write