Protein, Calcium and Gut Hormone Secretion

Hormones that are produced by our stomach and intestines play a role in regulating our appetite and health, and are therefore of high interest for managing conditions such as obesity and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Two important hormones, called GLP-1 and PYY, are released from the same intestinal cell. The food we eat influences the release of these hormone and evidence suggests that protein and calcium are key nutrients that stimulate the secretion of GLP-1, while the influence of this combination on PYY release is less clear. Furthermore, gastric emptying affects the rate of absorption of nutrients and by manipulating the structural form of protein, in the absence or presence of calcium, we may be able to learn more about the processes mediating the gut hormone response. We hypothesise that gut hormone secretion will be enhanced following the ingestion of a partially digested protein in the presence of calcium versus a control protein without calcium. Additionally, the ingestion of the partially digested protein will result in faster gastric emptying compared to the control protein.