{"id":132421,"date":"2025-05-26T05:12:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T05:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/132421\/"},"modified":"2025-05-26T05:12:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T05:12:11","slug":"do-you-have-weight-loss-jab-smell-experts-reveal-the-latest-surprising-side-effect-of-ozempic-and-mounjaro-and-what-to-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/132421\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you have ‘weight-loss jab smell’? Experts reveal the latest surprising side-effect of Ozempic and Mounjaro – and what to do about it"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every week there\u2019s a surprising new side-effect from using Ozempic, it seems \u2013 and now the desire to smell like a French patisserie may well be one of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Because, believe it or not, losing weight has never smelt so sweet.<\/p>\n

As more people are curbing their appetite and successfully swerving the calorific sweet treats by using weight-loss injections, there\u2019s been a surge for so-called gourmand perfumes, especially the ones reminiscent of confectionery or baked goods.<\/p>\n

Some experts are speculating this increase in demand is linked to the use of GLP-1 agonists, the class of medication that weight-loss jabs fall under.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While they are well-known for aiding weight loss<\/a>, they could also be reshaping our sensory experiences. So, is smelling sweet replacing our cravings for treats?<\/p>\n

The numbers certainly add up. In the UK, around 500,000 of us are currently using weight-loss injections and this number is rising fast.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the US, it was reported around 12 per cent of the population is or has been \u2018on the pen\u2019.<\/p>\n

At the same time the global gourmand fragrance market is booming \u2013 currently worth more than \u00a324billion and growing fast.<\/p>\n

\"There <\/p>\n

There is clinical data suggesting that sniffing vanilla or cinnamon may help reduce sugar cravings, writes Alice Smellie<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The fragrance landscape is populated by delicious scents as pop star Sabrina Carpenter\u2019s Sweet Tooth (from \u00a317.99, lookfantastic.com<\/a>), which has chocolate marshmallow notes<\/p>\n

\u2018The rise of gourmand fragrances has been undeniable,\u2019 says Jonnie Swarbrick, creative director at Fragrance Du Bois. \u2018We\u2019ve seen a clear shift toward indulgent, addictive notes like cherry, vanilla and praline.\u2019<\/p>\n

Hardly surprising when the fragrance landscape is populated by such delicious scents as pop star Sabrina Carpenter\u2019s Sweet Tooth (from \u00a317.99, lookfantastic.com<\/a>), which has chocolate marshmallow notes.<\/p>\n

Other sweetly appealing perfumes include Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 71 (\u00a324, cultbeauty.com<\/a>), which includes pistachio, caramelised vanilla, macadamia and white chocolate.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re feeling flush, Fragrance Du Bois New York 5th Avenue (\u00a3265, selfridges.com<\/a>) is redolent with caramel and vanilla.<\/p>\n

But why would this trend be driven by weight-loss jabs? Studies confirm our smell can be affected by GLP-1 agonists \u2013 leading to increased and decreased sensitivity.<\/p>\n

Some suggest this is because there are GLP-1 receptors in the regions in the brain involved in processing taste and smell information. Users have reported stopping craving sweets but becoming obsessed with sugary perfumes.<\/p>\n

However there could be other reasons. \u2018When you use GLP-1 agonists, the body undergoes physiological changes,\u2019 says Dr Miriam Rehbein, a dermatologist who has also created a perfume, called Touch Mi!. \u2018When you experience rapid weight loss, the skin gets drier,\u2019 she says. \u2018This impacts moisture levels.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"Other <\/p>\n

Other sweetly appealing perfumes include Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 71 (\u00a324, cultbeauty.com<\/a>), which includes pistachio, caramelised vanilla, macadamia and white chocolate<\/p>\n

\"If <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re feeling flush, Fragrance Du Bois New York 5th Avenue (\u00a3265, selfridges.com<\/a>) is redolent with caramel and vanilla<\/p>\n

\u2018Dry skin holds scent for less time,\u2019 says Jonnie Swarbrick. Here, he says, gourmand notes may shine.<\/p>\n

\u2018Their richness and depth help the scent cling to the skin and create a longer-lasting, more enveloping experience.\u2019 Nobody wants their scent to wear off before the end of the party.<\/p>\n

Secondly, Dr Rehbein says Ozempic can actually make you smell differently.<\/p>\n

\u2018Because your metabolism is slower, food stays in your stomach for longer, and this can mean a slightly eggy smell through the pores of the skin and in the mouth.\u2019 A sweet perfume, she suggests, might neutralise this.<\/p>\n

Hormone levels can also alter when taking weight-loss injections. \u2018We know they are likely to affect cortisol levels,\u2019 says aesthetic doctor Dr Priya Verma.<\/p>\n

\u2018A lot of my patients are stressed when they start using them. Cortisol is a very complex hormone and it could potentially affect the pH of the skin, oil production and certainly the temperature of the skin \u2013 typically making the skin feel warmer due to increased metabolic activity.<\/p>\n

\u2018This rise in temperature can intensify how quickly a fragrance evaporates, making a perfume smell stronger initially but fade faster throughout the day.\u2019 These changes may affect how perfume smells on the skin.<\/p>\n

The most likely explanation for the link between the rise of sweet perfume and weight-loss jabs, say the experts, is that if you are not getting the dopamine hit that you are used to from consuming high-calorie sugary food, then you might be seeking it elsewhere. After all, we\u2019re hard-wired to seek pleasure.<\/p>\n

\u2018Your appetite for certain foods or tastes is very likely to change\u2019, says Dr Verma.<\/p>\n

\u2018If patients who are using Ozempic (or any other weight-loss injection) are having a lower oral sugar intake, it may be that they\u2019re looking to satiate the appetite receptors for those sweeter scents through a different means<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018At the moment there\u2019s little conclusive data on this,\u2019 she adds, but it\u2019s well established gourmand scents such as vanilla or chocolate can trigger dopamine release.<\/p>\n

In fact, dieters sometimes use these smells to trick the brain into thinking it\u2019s had an actual sugar hit.<\/p>\n

\u2018Our brain from childhood is programmed to be rewarded with sweets,\u2019 agrees Dr Rehbein. \u2018A sweet smell will have the same sort of effect on our brain, bringing feelings of comfort and cosiness.\u2019<\/p>\n

There is clinical data suggesting that sniffing vanilla or cinnamon may help reduce sugar cravings. So, instead of reaching for the biscuit tin, perhaps it\u2019s time to spritz something delicious instead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Every week there\u2019s a surprising new side-effect from using Ozempic, it seems \u2013 and now the desire to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":132422,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[92,368,370,53,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-132421","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-dailymail","9":"tag-femail","10":"tag-ozempic","11":"tag-technology","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114572423677956992","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132421\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}