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Hormone helps obese shed weight (AFP) |
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PARIS — An appetite-curbing hormone
found in the gut may help overweight and obese people shed
weight, lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels,
according to a study released Wednesday.
Known as glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, the hormone is
naturally secreted from the intestine when we eat.
Recently, doctors have begun to use GLP-1 to treat patients with
type 2 diabetes due to the molecule’s ability to regulate sugar
levels in the blood.
But they also noticed that the hormone appeared to make patients
less hungry, raising the question of whether it could work as a
treatment for obesity.
A team of researchers led by Tina Vilsboll of the University of
Copenhagen designed a study to find out.
Reviewing medical literature, they analysed the results of 25
clinical trials involving over 6,000 patients who had been given
GLP-1.
Patients with and without diabetes who received a minimum dosage
for at least 20 weeks showed greater weight loss than control
groups, they reported in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
There was also improvement in blood pressure, cholesterol and
glycaemic control, the process by which the body adjusts the
impact of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels.
The findings provide “convincing evidence” that GLP-1 “results
in clinically relevant beneficial effects on body weight” for
obese patients, the researchers concluded.
“Additional beneficial effects on blood pressure and total
cholesterol might also be achieved.”
The treatment had side-effects in some patients, including
vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea. But this did not seems to effect
the number of people dropping out of the trials, suggesting
that, overall, GLP-1 was well tolerated, they said.
Vilsboll and colleagues recommended that the hormone be
“considered” for obese patients suffering from diabetes, and
called for further trials to test its efficacy for obese people
who are not diabetic.
In a commentary, also in the BMJ, Raj Padwal from the University
of Alberta argued that — despite its weight-reducing powers —
GLP-1 should not alter current medical practice.
“Modification of diet and lifestyle remain the cornerstone of
the treatment of type 2 diabetes,” he said.
The hormone’s longterm safety is still unknown, he added.
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