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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Nov 27;191(6):545-557.
doi: 10.1093/ejendo/lvae147.

Secretin infusion decreases food intake in healthy men-a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study

Sebastian M N Heimbürger  1   2 , Maria J Bentzen  1 , Hüsün S Kizilkaya  1   3 , Bolette Hartmann  3 , Jens J Holst  3   4 , Mette M Rosenkilde  3 , Flemming Dela  5   6 , Svend H Hansen  7 , Jens F Rehfeld  7 , Mikkel B Christensen  1   8   9   10 , Filip K Knop  1   2   10
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Secretin infusion decreases food intake in healthy men-a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study

Sebastian M N Heimbürger et al. Eur J Endocrinol. .

Abstract

Design: The hormone secretin, best known for regulating pH in the duodenum, has anorectic properties in mice proposedly mediated via secretin-induced brown adipose tissue (BAT) activation. We investigated the effects of exogenous secretin on ad libitum food intake, BAT activity, and postprandial physiology in healthy male volunteers.

Methods: In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study, 25 healthy men underwent two 5-h i.v. infusions of secretin (1 pmol/kg/min) and placebo (saline), respectively, with an interposed 2-month wash-out period. After 30 min of infusion, a standardized liquid-mixed meal was ingested, and after 5 h, food intake and meal duration were assessed during an ad libitum meal test. Brown adipose tissue activity was assessed regularly by thermal imaging-measured supraclavicular skin temperature.

Results: Compared with placebo, secretin significantly decreased ad libitum food intake by 173 ± 88 kcal (95% CI, 0.76-0.99, P = .039) but did not alter ad libitum meal duration. Secretin acutely decreased BAT activity but increased it postprandially compared with placebo. Acetaminophen-assessed gastric emptying was not affected by exogenous secretin, but secretin increased gallbladder volume, bile acid synthesis, and circulating levels of lipase, amylase, and triglycerides, while decreasing plasma Na+. Compared with placebo, secretin infusion was associated with 24.0 ± 10.8% (95% CI, 0.3-1, P = .025) more adverse events (headache, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting).

Conclusions: In healthy men, secretin infusion decreased ad libitum food intake concomitantly with a postprandial increase in BAT activity as assessed by thermal imaging-measured supraclavicular skin temperature.

Clinical trial registration number: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04613700.

Keywords: brown adipose tissue; gastrointestinal tract; lipid metabolism; mechanisms in endocrinology; obesity; secretin.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: F.K.K. is employee at Novo Nordisk and was on the editorial board of EJE when this manuscript was submitted. He was not involved in the review or editorial process for this paper, on which he is listed as author. No other potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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