I’ve always been confused by the term “food noise.” I’ve lost over 175 lbs on GLP-1s. Started with Ozempic, went to Tirzepatide and now on RETA. Titrated up to the max dose on each. While my weight loss has been a huge success I still think about food just as much as I always have. Obviously I eat a lot less of it but I obsess over it as much as ever. The difference now is with these drugs I have the power to control my eating habits but God I WISH I could find something that actually eliminated my food noise.
I hear ya. I obsess over food too but I find that I don’t really want it to the point I pick things up at the store and look at it and think “I want to smash this brownie” then put it back down! The difference is my ability and willingness to put it down. I’m more in touch with my will and drive to eat healthy. With occasional desserts of course :) and I also obsess over the med itself! I get a dopamine rush when I see it, and especially when it’s shot day. Our brains are weird. But I’ll take this over binging out and being fat any day.
I absolutely agree that we are just grazing the surface of discovering the true power of GLP-1s. Life saving ? Hell yes! But I think after you reach your goal weight for an extended period of time, a lower maintenance dose and breaks should be considered. The human body needs to maintain itself. Now that I’ve ranted, I’m a pharmacist and my husband and I both have used glp1. I stopped because I wanted to see how faired without it….ehh. My husband has been on it for 2 years I think, and there is a DEFINITE difference in desire to do reward seeking activities like gaming or going out. It’s odd, I thought I was the only one who thought it was the glp1 that was also affecting other receptors.
When I started Zepbound, I had no idea that it would effect my relationship with food. My cravings ruled my world. Now, chocolate and salty foods hold no sway over me. Some people think that cravings are not food noise. But when your thoughts are dominated by food (whether specific ones or food in general) and those thoughts just go quiet, it is a major revelation. It is so much easier to make healthier food choices now. This is one aspect of these drugs that PCPs really need to understand better and explain to their patients.
I agree with Meggie. While it's possible they are impacting other receptors, I only notice the decrease in food noise. I do need to make myself drink water, but that's ALWAYS been the case. And after losing 100 pounds, I'm more inclined to want to exercise (for me, that's hiking or walking) than I ever was before. And again, perhaps it has to do with losing 100 pounds and just feeling better about myself, my sex drive is higher than it's been for years (and this is from someone in her upper 50's in menopause).
As far as "food noise" goes, I still have it somewhat, but I can satiate it with less. Also, I don't have as much of the "I just ate something salty, now I need something sweet" and vice versa.
However, in other areas of life, I have been noticing:
-less desire for coffee in PM which is good, I guess
-anxiety grocery shopping (feeling like I have to buy food, but afraid I'll waste it if not eaten)
-a spiritual flatness (this one is concerning to me)
This is such a great topic to sus out. I now after being on and off GLP1s for almost 2 years now, off due to financial reasons, have come to realize that the long game is such a bigger part of the story. Most of us I believe in the beginning drop a significant amount of weight, some even losing 100+ lbs over time. It's truly life changing but... I have really struggled with the lack of enthusiasm for hobbies that used to be my lifelines. My sex drive and other areas of mental, emotional and physical pleasure lets say have markedly dimmed. The battle between needing to still lose about 75lbs after losing 40 then regaining 10 because I've had to go off due to cost and then back on again and feeling some of my light just not being there is a major internal struggle for me. I want/need to get to a healthy weight. I'm not talking being stick thin, just a healthy weight, with good blood pressure, protecting my heart, being light enough to have energy to do things etc. but that feeling of not being quite myself, or that "should've had a V8" feeling all day (obviously if you are eating healthy etc.) its not due to lack of nutrients which we need to watch out for. When the food noise dial is always on that's an imbalance. when you're hungry in the morning or in the afternoon because its been a few hours since you've ate is when the dial is where it should be. That's my take.
The question about reward seeking beyond appetite is the part I keep coming back to. Penny’s example of less desire for gaming and going out shows why those effects deserve careful attention alongside the weight loss.
As someone managing OCD, Anxiety, and PTSD, I personally celebrate anything that right-sizes my internal noise to match my actual baseline environment—whether that's dialing food volume down to match my real metabolic needs or calming my nervous system down to actual threat levels.
Interestingly, while it has right-sized my appetite, reduced some joint pain and inflammation, and I believe that it has helped my anxiety (I don’t know if it’s that I appreciate some ‘meh’ in my life these days?) but it hasn't touched my online shopping habit at all. The fact that responses can vary so wildly from person to person tells me we are just at the tip of the iceberg with the interaction between peptide messengers and genetics. This feels like the early days of antibiotics: a monumental medical breakthrough, even if our current generation of drugs is relatively crude compared to the precision that will follow. Regardless though, I always appreciate your patient-first perspective on these topics! Thanks so much for all your hard work, advocacy, and opening up these safe spaces to ask questions without bias! Edited slightly but signed: a GLP-1 user for life and grateful for it. Let’s just make these life changing and life saving medications cheaper for everyone!
I think there is food noise and then there’s the enjoyment of food. My food noise is turned way down on tirzepatide but I still like to enjoy tasty foods. There are some people who say they don’t enjoy anything anymore and I think that’s a problem.
I have had other things be less appealing, but mostly just alcohol. I still love the things I’ve always loved. Everyone is impacted in different ways, I suppose. If it’s more common for people to lose interest in some of the more positive life experiences such as preferred hobbies, social connections, or sex, then it’s worth taking notice.
I think that food noise is more related to the receptors that these drugs target and my food noise is gone but I don't notice any of the other issues you've mentioned. Just my theory lol.
I don’t have food noise, until I get to the half life. Then, I could go crazy on whatever is put before me. I respond to low doses, so split dosing has helped that. As for other “noises,” I’ve not noticed a difference in the meds suppressing them. I still have a huge bucket list of things I need to do and am able to do so now!
I have not noticed anything else other than less food noise. No anhedonia, or other side effects. I take care of my resting needs and don't overdue, which is not new, I am always like that.
I have not noticed anything else other than less food noise. No anhedonia, or other side effects. I take care of my resting needs and don't overdue, which is not new, I am always like that.
I’ve always been confused by the term “food noise.” I’ve lost over 175 lbs on GLP-1s. Started with Ozempic, went to Tirzepatide and now on RETA. Titrated up to the max dose on each. While my weight loss has been a huge success I still think about food just as much as I always have. Obviously I eat a lot less of it but I obsess over it as much as ever. The difference now is with these drugs I have the power to control my eating habits but God I WISH I could find something that actually eliminated my food noise.
I hear ya. I obsess over food too but I find that I don’t really want it to the point I pick things up at the store and look at it and think “I want to smash this brownie” then put it back down! The difference is my ability and willingness to put it down. I’m more in touch with my will and drive to eat healthy. With occasional desserts of course :) and I also obsess over the med itself! I get a dopamine rush when I see it, and especially when it’s shot day. Our brains are weird. But I’ll take this over binging out and being fat any day.
I absolutely agree that we are just grazing the surface of discovering the true power of GLP-1s. Life saving ? Hell yes! But I think after you reach your goal weight for an extended period of time, a lower maintenance dose and breaks should be considered. The human body needs to maintain itself. Now that I’ve ranted, I’m a pharmacist and my husband and I both have used glp1. I stopped because I wanted to see how faired without it….ehh. My husband has been on it for 2 years I think, and there is a DEFINITE difference in desire to do reward seeking activities like gaming or going out. It’s odd, I thought I was the only one who thought it was the glp1 that was also affecting other receptors.
When I started Zepbound, I had no idea that it would effect my relationship with food. My cravings ruled my world. Now, chocolate and salty foods hold no sway over me. Some people think that cravings are not food noise. But when your thoughts are dominated by food (whether specific ones or food in general) and those thoughts just go quiet, it is a major revelation. It is so much easier to make healthier food choices now. This is one aspect of these drugs that PCPs really need to understand better and explain to their patients.
I agree with Meggie. While it's possible they are impacting other receptors, I only notice the decrease in food noise. I do need to make myself drink water, but that's ALWAYS been the case. And after losing 100 pounds, I'm more inclined to want to exercise (for me, that's hiking or walking) than I ever was before. And again, perhaps it has to do with losing 100 pounds and just feeling better about myself, my sex drive is higher than it's been for years (and this is from someone in her upper 50's in menopause).
As far as "food noise" goes, I still have it somewhat, but I can satiate it with less. Also, I don't have as much of the "I just ate something salty, now I need something sweet" and vice versa.
However, in other areas of life, I have been noticing:
-less desire for coffee in PM which is good, I guess
-anxiety grocery shopping (feeling like I have to buy food, but afraid I'll waste it if not eaten)
-a spiritual flatness (this one is concerning to me)
This is such a great topic to sus out. I now after being on and off GLP1s for almost 2 years now, off due to financial reasons, have come to realize that the long game is such a bigger part of the story. Most of us I believe in the beginning drop a significant amount of weight, some even losing 100+ lbs over time. It's truly life changing but... I have really struggled with the lack of enthusiasm for hobbies that used to be my lifelines. My sex drive and other areas of mental, emotional and physical pleasure lets say have markedly dimmed. The battle between needing to still lose about 75lbs after losing 40 then regaining 10 because I've had to go off due to cost and then back on again and feeling some of my light just not being there is a major internal struggle for me. I want/need to get to a healthy weight. I'm not talking being stick thin, just a healthy weight, with good blood pressure, protecting my heart, being light enough to have energy to do things etc. but that feeling of not being quite myself, or that "should've had a V8" feeling all day (obviously if you are eating healthy etc.) its not due to lack of nutrients which we need to watch out for. When the food noise dial is always on that's an imbalance. when you're hungry in the morning or in the afternoon because its been a few hours since you've ate is when the dial is where it should be. That's my take.
The question about reward seeking beyond appetite is the part I keep coming back to. Penny’s example of less desire for gaming and going out shows why those effects deserve careful attention alongside the weight loss.
As someone managing OCD, Anxiety, and PTSD, I personally celebrate anything that right-sizes my internal noise to match my actual baseline environment—whether that's dialing food volume down to match my real metabolic needs or calming my nervous system down to actual threat levels.
Interestingly, while it has right-sized my appetite, reduced some joint pain and inflammation, and I believe that it has helped my anxiety (I don’t know if it’s that I appreciate some ‘meh’ in my life these days?) but it hasn't touched my online shopping habit at all. The fact that responses can vary so wildly from person to person tells me we are just at the tip of the iceberg with the interaction between peptide messengers and genetics. This feels like the early days of antibiotics: a monumental medical breakthrough, even if our current generation of drugs is relatively crude compared to the precision that will follow. Regardless though, I always appreciate your patient-first perspective on these topics! Thanks so much for all your hard work, advocacy, and opening up these safe spaces to ask questions without bias! Edited slightly but signed: a GLP-1 user for life and grateful for it. Let’s just make these life changing and life saving medications cheaper for everyone!
I think there is food noise and then there’s the enjoyment of food. My food noise is turned way down on tirzepatide but I still like to enjoy tasty foods. There are some people who say they don’t enjoy anything anymore and I think that’s a problem.
I have had other things be less appealing, but mostly just alcohol. I still love the things I’ve always loved. Everyone is impacted in different ways, I suppose. If it’s more common for people to lose interest in some of the more positive life experiences such as preferred hobbies, social connections, or sex, then it’s worth taking notice.
I think that food noise is more related to the receptors that these drugs target and my food noise is gone but I don't notice any of the other issues you've mentioned. Just my theory lol.
I don’t have food noise, until I get to the half life. Then, I could go crazy on whatever is put before me. I respond to low doses, so split dosing has helped that. As for other “noises,” I’ve not noticed a difference in the meds suppressing them. I still have a huge bucket list of things I need to do and am able to do so now!
I have not noticed anything else other than less food noise. No anhedonia, or other side effects. I take care of my resting needs and don't overdue, which is not new, I am always like that.
I have not noticed anything else other than less food noise. No anhedonia, or other side effects. I take care of my resting needs and don't overdue, which is not new, I am always like that.