Nausea is one of the most frequently reported side effects of obesity and Type 2 diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy — and one of the major reasons why some users quit taking them.
Now, scientists at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia say they have found a collection of neurons in the brain of mice that may stimulate weight loss without making people feel sick.
The researchers say obesity drug makers should look to targeting the nucleus tractus solitarius — a key brainstem structure that receives taste information.
“Developing experimental obesity drugs that selectively activate this population may promote weight loss while avoiding aversive side effects,” said senior study author Amber L. Alhadeff, a Monell assistant member.
The findings were published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
Ozempic is one of the most popular drugs on the market. Like Wegovy, it mimics GLP-1, the hormone the body naturally produces after eating, so users feel fuller for longer.
In one trial, around 17% of participants stopped using Wegovy because of side effects, with nausea being the most common.
Another in-demand weight loss drug is tirzepatide, which is sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound. It mimics GLP-1 and GIP, another appetite-suppressing hormone.
In clinical trials, 18% of users who took the highest dosage of Mounjaro experienced nausea.
How to manage nausea from obesity drugs
Experts have shared tips on how to ease nausea associated with GLP-1 drugs.
Harvard Health recommends avoiding strong smells and consuming crackers, mint or ginger-based food or drinks about a half hour after injection.
Katherine Saunders, an obesity medicine physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, advises reducing portion sizes and limiting rich, fatty or heavy food.
“Sometimes people feel fine while they’re eating and even afterwards for a while, but then they vomit out of nowhere a few hours later,” she told Bloomberg in April. “Recent food culprits reported by our patients include steak frites and a pastrami sandwich.”
WeightWatchers, which has a GLP-1 program, suggests consuming clear or ice-cold beverages and foods like soups that contain a lot of water.
After eating, patients should take a walk instead of laying down.