The Effect of Lactisole on the Responses to Glucose Solution

• Blood glucose [ Time Frame: Blood samples will be collected at baseline and 5, 15 and 30 minute intervals until 150 minutes after the glucose infusion ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

• Subjective appetite ratings [ Time Frame: 30 minute intervals ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Participants will be asked to complete visual analogue scale questionnaire (VAS) up to a total of 6 times for the duration of each study
  
  
• Gastric emptying rate [ Time Frame: Breath samples are collected at 5, 15 and 30 minute intervals up to a total of 10 times until 150 minutes ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  In order to assess gastric emptying, a stable isotope of carbon, in the form of 13Csodium acetate will be added to the test meal. This is absorbed only once it has passed through the stomach into the duodenum. It is then metabolised and exhaled in the breath as 13Clabelled carbon dioxide (CO2) where it can be measured.
  
  
• Energy intake [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Energy intake will be assessed by an ad libitum test meal provided at the end of each study and food diaries completed for the remainder of the day
  
  
• Gut hormones [ Time Frame: Blood samples will be collected at baseline, 5, 15 and 30 minute intervals until 150 minutes after glucose infusion. ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Blood samples will be processed to examine hormone levels of GLP-1, PYY, and insulin.
  
  

Obesity is epidemically prevalent and a major risk factor for chronic diseases making it fundamental to understand the pathways controlling food intake. During the course of a meal and afterwards the gut and brain communicate to control how full the eater feels and thus control the amount of food eaten. The information relayed from the gut to the brain regarding ingested nutrients is of increasing importance and understanding the mechanisms by which nutrient molecules are initially detected in the gut and how they signal to the brain to influence food intake is critical to the development of novel food products that could induce fullness and reduce food consumption. Increasing our understanding of how nutrients are sensed in the gut and how this may influence subsequent food intake provides promising targets for obesity prevention and treatment. Recent discoveries have shown that sweet taste receptors similar to those located in the tongue are present in the gut. It is suggested that theses receptors are involved in the way nutrients are sensed and may play an important role in appetite control and food intake.