Gut-derived Appetite Hormones Do Not Explain Energy Intake Differences in Humans Following Low-carbohydrate Versus Low-fat Diets

Overview

Journal Obesity (Silver Spring)

Specialties Endocrinology
Nutritional Sciences
Physiology

Date 2024 Aug 8

PMID 39113385

Authors

Aaron Hengist

Christina M Sciarrillo

Juen Guo

Mary Walter

Kevin D Hall

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore how dietary macronutrient composition influences postprandial appetite hormone responses and subsequent energy intake.

Methods: A total of 20 adults (mean [SEM], age 30 [1] years, BMI 27.8 [1.3] kg/m, n = 8 with normal weight, n = 6 with overweight, n = 6 with obesity) consumed a low-fat (LF) diet (10% fat, 75% carbohydrate) and a low-carbohydrate (LC) diet (10% carbohydrate, 75% fat) for 2 weeks each in an inpatient randomized crossover design. At the end of each diet, participants consumed isocaloric macronutrient-representative breakfast test meals, and 6-h postprandial responses were measured. Ad libitum energy intake was measured for the rest of the day.

Results: The LC meal resulted in greater mean postprandial plasma active glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1; LC: 6.44 [0.78] pg/mL, LF: 2.46 [0.26] pg/mL; p < 0.0001), total glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP; LC: 578 [60] pg/mL, LF: 319 [37] pg/mL; p = 0.0004), and peptide YY (PYY; LC: 65.6 [5.6] pg/mL, LF: 50.7 [3.8] pg/mL; p = 0.02), whereas total ghrelin (LC: 184 [25] pg/mL, LF: 261 [47] pg/mL; p = 0.0009), active ghrelin (LC: 91 [9] pg/mL, LF: 232 [28] pg/mL; p < 0.0001), and leptin (LC: 26.9 [6.5] ng/mL, LF: 35.2 [7.5] ng/mL; p = 0.01) were lower compared with LF. Participants ate more during LC at lunch (244 [85] kcal; p = 0.01) and dinner (193 [86] kcal; p = 0.04), increasing total subsequent energy intake for the day compared with LF (551 [103] kcal; p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: In the short term, endogenous gut-derived appetite hormones do not necessarily determine ad libitum energy intake.

Citing Articles

Fasting appetite-related gut hormone responses after weight loss induced by calorie restriction, exercise, or both in people with overweight or obesity: a meta-analysis.

Jin Z, Li J, Thackray A, Shen T, Deighton K, King J Int J Obes (Lond). 2025; .

PMID: 39929932 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-025-01726-4.

Effects of Diet Macronutrient Composition on Weight Loss during Caloric Restriction and Subsequent Weight Regain during Refeeding in Aging Mice.

Minderis P, Fokin A, Povilonis T, Kvedaras M, Ratkevicius A Nutrients. 2023; 15(22).

PMID: 38004232 PMC: 10675209. DOI: 10.3390/nu15224836.

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