This association could also be why many GLP-1 drug users have noticed a lack of desire to drink alcohol, adds Dr. Sapozhnikov—something I’ve definitely taken note of on my journey thus far. (l always preferred red wine to white, but since going on a GLP-1 medication, I’ve done a complete 180. Plus, if I drink more than one glass, I get a headache that makes it feel like I drank 15.) He adds that smokers have also noted a decreased interest in smoking, potentially because of that vagus nerve stimulation.
Theory 4: Increased sensitivity to smell
In some scenarios, GLP-1 medications have been linked to an increased sensitivity to smell, says Elizabeth Hamel, a postdoctoral fellow at Monell Center with a PhD in taste and adjusted behaviors research, who has studied GLP-1 drugs. They’ve also been used to help treat loss of smell (called anosmia) in patients with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. “In your case, I think what might be happening is that now you have this increased sensitivity, so it might be that you’re getting a more intense perception of these smells—and things aren’t always as pleasurable at a higher intensity,” Dr. Hamel tells me. Thus, I could be experiencing my favorite scents in a new way—like the sticky creaminess of vanilla or an intense blast of rubbing alcohol notes in musk—and it’s not necessarily a fun experience.
Theory 5: Hormonal changes
Your scent preferences and palate can evolve over time or with big life changes. Dr. Matsunami uses beer as an example—it’s something that usually tastes repulsive to children who try a sip of their parents’ drink, but as they move past adolescence into adulthood, they may grow to enjoy it. This could potentially be informed by the “massive” change in hormones from childhood to adulthood, he explains, which could shift how the brain processes the smell and taste of beer.
In my case, I lost my taste for fried chicken when I was pregnant, and I had some pretty intense issues with basil and thyme—back then, pregnancy hormones could have been behind my taste and smell versions. (My taste for basil came back, but thyme? Absolutely not. Keep it out of my food, please.) But though the circumstances are very different between taking a GLP-1 medication and growing a child, this could actually be a similar situation, at least olfactorily speaking. “Why your sense of taste and smell changes when you’re pregnant is understudied,” says Dr. Matsunami, adding that in general, scientists think it has something to do with hormonal changes affecting the way a person senses food and smells. “GLP-1 is another hormone, so therefore, there may be some similarities between pregnancy and this drug treatment.” But again, as Dr. Matsunami says, there are no studies proving this or comparing the two.
The Inconclusive Conclusion
Could some of my fragrance experience be in my head? Definitely. It’s entirely possible that my brain could be associating those fragrances with the initial nausea of adjusting to the medication. As Dr. Hamel says: “Smell is one of the strongest forms of memory we have.” Or maybe, like Dr. Hamel suggested, I’m essentially super-smelling my perfumes, and it’s not as fun as it sounds. When I go off the GLP-1 medication, perhaps things will change and I’ll be ready to pull out all the gourmands again… It’s kind of a big TBD at the moment. “There’s been no clinical trials yet on the role of these drugs in olfaction,” Dr. Alhadeff tells me, and Dr. Hamel says she’s hopeful there will be more research in the future. But if any scientists want to kickstart a study, you know where to find me.
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