Summary: In a 16-week randomized placebo-controlled study, once-weekly semaglutide improved overall taste recognition in women with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with an estimated treatment difference of 2.5 points (95% CI 1.7 to 3.3).
PICO Summary
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Population | 30 women with PCOS and obesity; mean age 33.7 years and mean BMI 36.4 kg/m2. |
| Intervention | Semaglutide 1.0 mg once weekly for 16 weeks. |
| Comparator | Placebo for 16 weeks. |
| Outcomes | Overall taste recognition improved from 11.9 to 14.4 points, with an estimated treatment difference of 2.5 points (95% CI 1.7 to 3.3). Tongue gene expression and brain responses to food cues also changed. |
| Study design | 16-week, single-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study. |
Semaglutide and Taste in PCOS
Randomized study - 16 weeks - 30 women
Semaglutide improved experimental taste recognition and altered food-related biological signals in a small randomized study of women with obesity and PCOS; clinical implications remain exploratory.
Expert Commentary
This small mechanistic trial explores whether semaglutide changes taste and food-related neural responses in women with obesity and PCOS. After 16 weeks, overall taste recognition improved from a mean of 11.9 to 14.4 points, with an estimated treatment difference of 2.5 points versus placebo. The investigators also reported changes in tongue gene expression and brain activity during food-cue tasks. These findings are biologically interesting and may help explain why appetite and food preference can change during GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment, but they are not evidence of a clinical weight-loss or PCOS outcome.
Can I use this with my patients? Use it as hypothesis-generating context when patients describe altered taste or food reward during semaglutide treatment, not as a reason to prescribe semaglutide for taste modification. The study involved only 30 women, lasted 16 weeks, used a single-blind design and measured experimental taste, gene-expression and imaging outcomes. It did not establish effects on ovulation, androgen status, diabetes prevention, long-term weight maintenance or quality of life. Taste recognition may also be influenced by weight change, diet, nausea and adherence. Clinical decisions should continue to follow licensed indications, PCOS and obesity guidance, contraindication screening, dose titration and shared decision-making.
References
Jensterle M, Kovac J, Vovk A, Ferjan S, Battelino S, Battelino T, et al. Semaglutide and Taste in Women With Obesity and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2025. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgaf278. PMID: 40341357.