The effect on hunger and satiety of slowing the absorption of glucose: relationship with gastric emptying and postprandial blood glucose and insulin responses

Abstract

To investigate the relative potency of short-term control mechanisms for carbohydrate satiety, ten fasted, healthy male volunteers consumed a 250-ml, 30% glucose drink with and without the addition of guar gum (2%). Gastric emptying, hunger and fullness ratings and blood glucose and insulin levels were monitored over the following 3 h and energy intake was recorded from a test meal given 3.5 h after the drinks. The addition of the guar gum to the glucose drink lowered both postprandial glucose and insulin levels over the following 2 h. This was associated with a reduction in the ratings for hunger and desire to eat and an increase in ratings for fullness and satiety, but energy intake from the test meal was unchanged. There was no difference between values for the half time for gastric emptying for the two drinks. The short-term increase in satiety and decrease in hunger seen when glucose absorption was slowed with guar gum is unlikely to be explained by the reduction in postprandial glycaemia or differences in gastric emptying, and instead may implicate increased contact of the carbohydrate with receptors in the small intestine and consequent enhanced release of putative satiety peptides.