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Post-prandial plasma ghrelin levels in people with different breakfast hours

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the changes in post-meal plasma ghrelin levels in people with different breakfast hours.

Design and interventions: The subjects adhered to strict breakfast times starting 2 weeks before the study. Blood was drawn hourly from 0530 or 0630 until 1130. Plasma ghrelin, leptin, and insulin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay.

Setting: Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Korea.

Subjects: A total of 16 healthy volunteers.

Results: The mean plasma ghrelin level in subjects consuming breakfast was 548.7±239.6 fmol/ml before breakfast and 384.8±168.7 fmol/ml 1 h after breakfast, with leptin levels of 6.8±2.6 and 6.5±2.5 ng/ml, respectively. Plasma ghrelin levels were lowest 1 h after the meal, although the breakfast times differed. The plasma ghrelin level was lowest at 0730 in subjects not eating breakfast.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that the plasma ghrelin levels are lowest 1 h after breakfast despite the variance in breakfast times. This timing might best reflect an individual's plasma ghrelin level and enable reasonable comparisons.

Sponsorship: This study was supported by a Medical Research Institute Grant (2003-01) from Pusan National University Hospital, Korea.

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Correspondence to S Lee.

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Kim, HH., Lee, S., Jeon, TY. et al. Post-prandial plasma ghrelin levels in people with different breakfast hours. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 692–695 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601847

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601847

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