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Human insulinotropic response to oral ingestion of native and hydrolysed whey protein

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Abstract

The insulinotropic response to the ingestion of whey protein and whey protein hydrolysate, independent of carbohydrate, is not known. This study examined the effect of protein hydrolysis on the insulinotropic response to the ingestion of whey protein. Sixteen healthy males ingested a 500 mL solution containing either 45 g of whey protein (WPI) or whey protein hydrolysate (WPH). The estimated rate of gastric empting was not altered by hydrolysis of the protein [18 (3) vs. 23 (3) min, n = 16; P = 0.15]. Maximum plasma insulin concentration (C max) occurred later (40 vs. 60 min) and was 28% [234 (26) vs. 299 (31) mM, P = 0.018] greater following ingestion of the WPH compared to the WPI leading to a 43% increase [7.6 (0.9) vs. 10.8 (2.6) nM, P = 0.21] in the AUC of insulin for the WPH. Of the amino acids with known insulinotropic properties only Phe demonstrated a significantly greater maximal concentration [C max; 65 (2) vs. 72 (3) μM, n = 16; P = 0.01] and increase (+22%) in AUC following ingestion of the WPH. In conclusion, ingestion of whey protein is an effective insulin secretagogue. Hydrolysis of whey protein prior to ingestion augments the maximal insulin concentration by a mechanism that is unrelated to gastric emptying of the peptide solution.

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Abbreviations

AA:

Amino acid

EAA:

Essential amino acid

Leu:

Leucine

Ile:

Isoleucine

Val:

Valine

Phe:

Phenylalanine

Lys:

Lysine

Arg:

Arginine

BCAA:

Branched chain amino acids

GE:

Gastric emptying

WPI:

Whey proteins isolate

WPH:

Whey protein hydrolysate

RP-HPLC:

Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography

AUC:

Area under the curve

T 50% :

Half-time of gastric emptying

T max :

Time of maximum plasma concentration

C max :

Maximum plasma concentration

GIP:

Glucose dependent insulinotropic polypeptide

GLP-1:

Glucagon-like-peptide 1

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the financial support of Enterprise Ireland (Grant IP 2004-237) and Carbery Food Ingredients.

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Correspondence to O. Power.

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Power, O., Hallihan, A. & Jakeman, P. Human insulinotropic response to oral ingestion of native and hydrolysed whey protein. Amino Acids 37, 333–339 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-008-0156-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-008-0156-0

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