Dr.SleepRoch said:

The GLP-1 and alcohol use disorder connection, relevant to food noise: observational data from Scandinavian registries shows reduced alcohol-related…

Rebound hunger after missed dose of food noise: I missed my injection by 3 days due to a shipping delay and the hunger came ROARING back. Like a switch flipped. It was eye-opening to feel the difference.

This experience actually reinforced my understanding of what the medication does — it's not just "suppressing appetite," it's normalizing dysregulated hunger signaling. When the drug wears off, you feel the full force of what it was managing.

SleepFixSam said:

The food noise came back three weeks after I reduced my dose, well before the weight moved, which tells me something about which effect tracks what.

Alcohol relationship change with food noise: I used to drink 3-4 beers most nights. Since starting GLP-1 therapy, I have zero interest in alcohol. Haven't had a drink in 9 months.

The "food noise" reduction seems to extend to other reward-seeking behaviors, including alcohol. My liver enzymes have improved, my sleep is better, and I've saved roughly $191/month on alcohol. Triple win.

pete_manc_UK said:

Rebound hunger after missed dose of food noise: I missed my injection by 3 days due to a shipping delay and the hunger came ROARING back.

pete_manc_UK said:

...regarding food noise mechanism of action...

To build on this — the mechanism is more complex than "it makes you less hungry." GLP-1 agonists:

1. Activate hypothalamic satiety centers (appetite reduction)
2. Delay gastric emptying (prolonged fullness)
3. Potentiate glucose-dependent insulin secretion
4. Suppress glucagon secretion
5. Modulate reward pathway dopaminergic signaling
6. Reduce hepatic lipogenesis
7. Have direct cardiovascular protective effects

It's a multi-target drug with systemic metabolic effects. Understanding the mechanism helps us predict and manage side effects.

A narrower follow-up, since the general answer is now clear:

How would you tell the difference between that and the alternative explanation?

Dr.SurgeonPGH said:

pete_manc_UK said: ...regarding food noise mechanism of action...

Phantom hunger vs real hunger on food noise: learning to distinguish between the two has been a revelation. Real hunger: gradual onset, physical stomach sensation, any food sounds good. Phantom hunger: sudden, emotionally triggered, specific food cravings, occurs right after eating.

The GLP-1 agonist suppresses real hunger beautifully. Phantom hunger still pops up but I can now recognize it for what it is — an emotional signal, not a physical need. Mindfulness training helped enormously with this distinction.