Share on PinterestIn recent reports, people have anecdotally described changes in how certain foods taste or appeal to them when they’re taking semaglutide. Maskot/Getty Images
- Semaglutide is a drug that is available for both managing type 2 diabetes and weight management.
- The drug is sold under the names Rybelsus, Ozempic, and Wegovy.
- The medication has recently gained a great deal of attention from many on social media for its potential benefits.
- There have also been recent anecdotal reports of the drug causing changes in the way people taste certain foods and drinks.
- Experts note that all treatments carry the risk of side effects.
Semaglutide is a medication that’s been getting a lot of attention lately on social media and in the news, both for its potential benefits and risks as well as for recent manufacturer shortages.
The drug is marketed under the names Rybelsus and Ozempic for blood sugar management in people with type 2 diabetes. Rybelsus is an oral version of semaglutide that a patient takes daily, while Ozempic is an injectable version that’s administered under the skin once a week.
A long-acting, injectable form of the drug is also sold under the name Wegovy for weight management in adults with obesity or overweight who have a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
“A doctor might prescribe semaglutide for a patient with diabetes who could benefit from a potent blood sugar-lowering agent and simultaneously needs to lose weight and lower cardiovascular risk,” Dr. Caroline Messer, MD, an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told Healthline.
“Similarly, a doctor might prescribe this medication for a patient who is overweight or obese and is perhaps even developing insulin resistance,” she added.
Semaglutide is typically combined with dietary adjustments and regular exercise, sometimes with other medications such as metformin.
Like any medication, semaglutide carries the risk of potential side effects that must be weighed against the potential benefits. Some patients may experience more side effects than others.
“The most common side effects are nausea and abdominal distress, which are primarily due to the fact that the medicine slows gastric emptying. Since food stays longer in the stomach, …….