EN
Home/Canada/Answers/Food tastes different on Wegovy, Ozempic or Mounjaro
CACanada Food and daily life

Why does food taste different or disgust me on Wegovy, Ozempic or Mounjaro?

GLP Guidebook teamUpdated 23 Oct 202612 sourcesWritten from published sources
What we checked12 sources, each one opened and linked to the sentence it supportsLast checked 23 Oct 2026 · Next review due 23 Oct 2027 · How we write
The short answer

Changed taste is a listed side effect of Wegovy and Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) in Canada. In Canada’s Wegovy monograph, 1.8% of trial patients had it, against 0.5% on placebo. The labels also list less appetite and burping. For nausea, HealthLink BC suggests clear soups, mild foods and staying away from strong food smells.

Before you go further
  • GLP‑1 medicines are prescription drugs in Canada. Your prescriber decides your dose.
  • Side-effect rates come from Health Canada’s product monographs, named each time.
  • We don’t rank brands or name sellers.

Is a change in taste a known side effect in Canada?

Yes. Canada’s monographs for Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Zepbound all list a change in taste, called dysgeusia.1,2,3,4

In three 68-week trials, 1.8% of people on Wegovy (semaglutide) 2.4 mg reported it, against 0.5% on a placebo (dummy injection).1 Canada’s Wegovy leaflet calls a change in the way food or drink tastes common, affecting up to 1 in 10 people. The Ozempic leaflet calls it uncommon, up to 1 in 100.1,2 The Mounjaro and Zepbound (tirzepatide) leaflets list “change in taste” without a rate.3,4

HealthLink BC describes dysgeusia as a distorted sense of taste, such as a metallic taste. It says smell and a dry mouth can change taste too.5 We found no separate taste data for generic semaglutide. Health Canada says the generic it approved in April 2026 is pharmaceutically equivalent to Ozempic.6

Why might food suddenly put me off?

Canada’s labels say these medicines make you feel fuller and less hungry. The tirzepatide monograph adds that it reduces cravings for sugary and fatty foods.1,4

In the Wegovy trials, 9.3% reported less appetite, against 3.0% on placebo.1 The Zepbound monograph says tirzepatide reduces food cravings and preferences for high-sugar and high-fat foods. It also slows how fast the stomach empties, most after the first dose and less over time.4

One 12-week trial compared semaglutide 1.0 mg with a placebo in 30 adults with obesity. On semaglutide they had less hunger, fewer food cravings and a lower preference for high-fat foods. People ate 24% less across the day’s meals.7 Another 16-week trial included 30 women with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome. Semaglutide 1.0 mg made them better at recognizing the basic tastes.8 Neither trial measured disgust or aversion.7,8

Burping is on the labels too. It affected 7.4% on Wegovy, against 0.4% on placebo, and 4% to 6% on Zepbound, against 0.6%.1,4

What can I eat when food turns me off?

For nausea, HealthLink BC suggests clear soups, mild foods and fluids, and staying away from strong food smells. Its advice wasn’t written for GLP‑1 users.9

Its examples are gelatin dessert, dry toast, crackers and cooked cereal. It says strong food odours can make nausea worse.9 Canada’s Wegovy leaflet says nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration, so drink plenty of fluids, especially if you have kidney problems.1 For protein from everyday Canadian foods, see Guide 8: life on a GLP‑1.

Obesity Canada’s 2025 guideline says stomach side effects of semaglutide and tirzepatide are mostly short-lived and mild to moderate. They happen mainly while the dose is going up, and slower dose steps can help.10 Canada’s Wegovy monograph lets a prescriber delay the next dose step by 4 weeks if a dose isn’t tolerated.1

Eating too little has its own risk. The Mounjaro and Zepbound monographs report malnutrition, sometimes severe. Their leaflets say your healthcare professional may give nutrition advice or suggest vitamins.3,4 We found no Canadian source on how long taste changes last.

What do people on GLP‑1 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 label Several say foods or drinks they knew, such as coffee, began to taste different. Canada’s Zepbound and Wegovy leaflets both list a change in taste.1,4
  • Matches the Zepbound label Many on tirzepatide say cravings for sweet and fatty food, such as candy and fast food, faded. Canada’s Zepbound monograph says tirzepatide reduces cravings for high-sugar and high-fat foods.4
  • Not studied Many say eggs, meat or other protein staples now put them off. We found no study of aversions to particular foods.
  • Not studied Many say sweets and diet drinks now taste too sweet or artificial. We found no trial that measured this.
  • Not studied Many say fried, greasy or rich food brings nausea, stomach pain or heartburn. We found no Canadian source that links these to fatty food.

Advice people share

  • Matches HealthLink BC Many lean on soup, broth or plain foods such as crackers and toast on bad days. HealthLink BC suggests clear soups and mild foods such as dry toast and crackers for nausea.9
  • Matches the label Several say to ask about staying on a dose until side effects settle. Canada’s Wegovy monograph lets the prescriber delay the next dose step by 4 weeks if a dose isn’t tolerated.1
  • Not studied Several save richer meals for the last days before the next injection, when they say appetite returns. We found no study of this.
  • Matches the label A few warn that eating far too little on bad days caused problems. Canada’s Mounjaro and Zepbound monographs report malnutrition, sometimes severe.3,4
RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects are very common. In Canada’s Wegovy monograph, 44% had nausea, against 16% on placebo.1
  • Gallstones are listed as a common serious side effect on the Wegovy leaflet.1
  • Malnutrition, sometimes severe, has been reported on Mounjaro and Zepbound.3,4
  • Dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea can worsen kidney function in people with kidney problems.1
Full detail in Guide 5: Side effects and risks →
Get help now: call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department for severe belly pain or pressure, severe or persistent vomiting, vomiting blood, fainting, or swelling of the face, eyes or tongue.11

Contact your prescriber or get medical help right away if you have:

  • severe, ongoing pain in the stomach area (the Wegovy leaflet says to see a healthcare professional straight away)1
  • dark yellow, strong-smelling pee, extreme thirst, or feeling dizzy or light-headed (the Zepbound leaflet says to stop using it and get medical help right away)4
  • pain, severe nausea and vomiting, or long-lasting burping or bloating (the Zepbound leaflet says to stop using it and get medical help right away)4
  • severe belly pain, yellowing of your skin, or a high fever with chills, which can be sudden gallbladder problems (the Zepbound leaflet says to stop using it and get medical help right away)4

Tell your healthcare professional about weight loss with weakness, feeling faint or tiredness. The Zepbound leaflet lists these as signs of malnutrition.4

For advice that isn’t an emergency, most provinces have a nurse line on 8-1-1 (Info-Santé 811 in Quebec).12

Raise taste changes with your prescriber

A printable list of questions for your appointment. Free, no sign-up.

Make my list

Read the full picture

Related questions

How do I relieve constipation on Wegovy, Ozempic or Mounjaro? How do I report a side effect in Canada? Is Apo-Semaglutide the same as Ozempic? Why am I not losing weight on Wegovy, Ozempic or Mounjaro?
Did this answer your question?

Sources

  1. Novo Nordisk Canada. Wegovy (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, Date of Authorization 2 October 2026 (Table 4, STEP 1–3, 68 weeks: dysgeusia, “Includes dysgeusia and taste disorder”, 1.8% vs 0.5% on placebo; decreased appetite 9.3% vs 3.0%; eructation 7.4% vs 0.4%; nausea 44% vs 16%; 4.2 “If patients do not tolerate a dose during dose escalation, consider delaying dose escalation for 4 weeks”; 7 dehydration “may lead to a deterioration of renal function” in patients with impaired renal function; Patient Medication Information: “works by causing you to feel fuller and less hungry”, “change in the way food or drink tastes” listed as common, up to 1 in 10; “drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration”; gallstones listed as common in the serious side effects table; severe and ongoing stomach pain, “see a healthcare professional straight away”). Health Canada Drug Product Database. pdf.hres.ca (PDF)
  2. Novo Nordisk Canada. Ozempic (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, Date of Authorization 13 July 2026 (8.3 less common clinical trial adverse reactions: “Nervous system: Dysgeusia”; dysgeusia reported post-marketing “with an unknown frequency”; Patient Medication Information: “Change in the way food or drink tastes” listed as uncommon, up to 1 in 100). Health Canada Drug Product Database. pdf.hres.ca (PDF)
  3. Eli Lilly Canada. Mounjaro (tirzepatide injection) Product Monograph, Date of Authorization 23 June 2026 (8.3 less common clinical trial adverse reactions: “Nervous System Disorders: dysgeusia”; 7 “Malnutrition has been reported in patients receiving MOUNJARO, including severe, serious and fatal events”; Patient Medication Information: “Change in taste”; “your healthcare professional may give you guidance on nutrition and/or recommend you take vitamins or supplements”). Health Canada Drug Product Database. pdf.hres.ca (PDF)
  4. Eli Lilly Canada. Zepbound (tirzepatide injection) Product Monograph, Date of Authorization 11 June 2026 (Table 2, SURMOUNT-1 and -2, 72 weeks: eructation 3.8%, 5.5% and 5.1% on 5, 10 and 15 mg vs 0.6% on placebo; 8.3 “Nervous System Disorders: dysgeusia”; 10.2 “Tirzepatide reduces food cravings and preferences for high sugar and high fat foods”; “Tirzepatide delays gastric emptying. The delay is largest after the first dose and this effect diminishes over time”; 7 malnutrition “including severe”; Patient Medication Information: “Change in taste”; serious side effects table: dehydration (“dark yellow and strong-smelling pee, feeling extremely thirsty, feeling dizzy or lightheaded”), gastroparesis (“pain, severe nausea and vomiting, prolonged belching, and prolonged bloating”) and sudden gallbladder problems (“severe abdominal pain, yellowing of your skin, or high fever with chills”), stop using and get immediate medical help; malnutrition (“weight loss, weakness, feeling faint, fatigue”), talk to your healthcare professional in all cases). Health Canada Drug Product Database. pdf.hres.ca (PDF)
  5. HealthLink BC (Healthwise content). Taste changes (“a distorted sense of taste (dysgeusia), such as a metallic taste”; “Much of what is thought of as taste is actually smell”; “A dry mouth” among causes). Current as of 1 March 2023. Opened 23 Oct 2026. healthlinkbc.ca
  6. Health Canada. Canada becomes the first G7 country to approve a generic version of semaglutide. News release, 28 April 2026 (generic semaglutide is “pharmaceutically equivalent to the brand name biologic drug”, Ozempic). Opened 23 Oct 2026. canada.ca
  7. Blundell J, Finlayson G, Axelsen M, et al. Effects of once-weekly semaglutide on appetite, energy intake, control of eating, food preference and body weight in subjects with obesity. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism 2017;19(9):1242–1251. 30 adults, 12 weeks, crossover vs placebo. DOI 10.1111/dom.12932. PMID 28266779. PubMed
  8. Jensterle M, Kovac J, Vovk A, et al. Semaglutide and taste in women with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized placebo-controlled study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2025;111:e270–e280. 30 women, 16 weeks; taste recognition score 11.9 to 14.4 points on 16 taste strips. DOI 10.1210/clinem/dgaf278. PMID 40341357. PubMed
  9. HealthLink BC (Healthwise content). Nausea and vomiting, age 12 and older: home treatment (“start to eat clear soups, mild foods, and liquids”; “Gelatin dessert, dry toast, crackers, and cooked cereal are good choices”; “Try to stay away from strong food odours. They can make nausea worse.”). Opened 23 Oct 2026. healthlinkbc.ca
  10. Pedersen SD, Manjoo P, Dash S, et al. Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline: Pharmacotherapy for obesity management in adults, 2025 update (version 3, 11 August 2025). Obesity Canada (semaglutide and tirzepatide gastrointestinal side effects “mostly transient, mild to moderate in severity, and occurred primarily during the dose-escalation period. More gradual titration can help mitigate gastrointestinal side effects”). obesitycanada.ca (PDF)
  11. MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine). Recognizing medical emergencies (US page: warning signs of a medical emergency from the American College of Emergency Physicians, including severe abdominal pain or pressure, severe or persistent vomiting, coughing up or vomiting blood, fainting, and swelling of the face, eyes or tongue; call 911 or the local emergency number). Used because we found no Canadian list of the same signs. Reviewed 8 January 2025. Opened 23 October 2026. medlineplus.gov
  12. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Medical services by phone (811 health lines by province and territory, including Info-Santé 811 in Quebec). Checked 23 October 2026. heartandstroke.ca

Last checked 23 Oct 2026 · Next review due 23 Oct 2027 · Report an error

How this answer was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above, all checked on 23 Oct 2026. Percentages are rounded from the monograph tables. The ‘What people report’ section summarizes public patient forum posts we read; it is not medical evidence, and we never pass on advice that goes against the label. It’s general information, not medical advice, and not an advertisement for any medicine. Talk to a doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write