This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by St-Pierre, D. H. Articles by Poehlman, E. T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by St-Pierre, D. H. Articles by Poehlman, E. T.

Relationship between Ghrelin and Energy Expenditure in Healthy Young Women

Unité Métabolique (D.H.S.-P., A.D.K., F.C., D.M., R.R.-L., M.S.-O., A.T.-L., E.T.P.), Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada H3C 3J7; and Mike Rosenbloom Laboratory for Cardiovascular Research (K.C.), Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1A1

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Eric T. Poehlman, Ph.D., Unité Métabolique, Département de Nutrition, Faculté de Médicine, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Liliane de Stewart, 2405 Côte Ste Catherine, Montréal, Canada H3C 3J7. E-mail: eric.poehlman{at}umontreal.ca.

Ghrelin is a novel peptide that has been isolated from human and rat stomach tissues. Despite its known stimulatory effects on appetite and eating behavior, little information is available regarding its relationship with energy expenditure in normal-weight humans. To address this issue, we examined the relationship between serum ghrelin and resting metabolic rate (RMR), the thermic effect of food (TEF), fasting and postprandial respiratory quotient, physical activity level, peak aerobic capacity (VO_{2 peak}), energy intake, and psychological measures of feeding behavior. We recruited 65 young healthy women and determined RMR and TEF by indirect calorimetry after a 12-h fast. Physical activity was determined by a leisure time physical activity questionnaire; VO_{2 peak} was determined by bicycle ergometer test to exhaustion; energy intake was determined by a 24-h dietary recall; and food behavior was determined by a three-factor eating questionnaire. Our cohort showed a broad range of body mass index (range, 16.8–28.3 kg/m²), RMR (range, 820-1550 kcal/d), TEF (range, 74.4–136.5 kcal/d), and percent body fat (range, 14.0–37.7%). We noted significant inverse correlations between ghrelin and RMR (r = –0.350, P = 0.004) and TEF (r = –0.396, P = 0.001). These inverse correlations persisted after statistical control for both fat-free mass and fat mass (ghrelin vs. RMR partial, r = –0.284, P = 0.024; and ghrelin vs. TEF partial, r = –0.329, P = 0.01) and insulin levels (ghrelin vs. RMR partial, r = –0.255, P = 0.046; and ghrelin vs. TEF partial, r = –0.287, P = 0.024) using partial correlation analysis. We also observed a significant inverse correlation between ghrelin and daily caloric intake (r = –0.266, P = 0.032), but ghrelin levels were not significantly correlated with fasting (r = –0.002), postprandial respiratory quotient (r = –0.016), leisure time physical activity (r = 0.104), VO_{2 peak} (r = 0.138), dietary disinhibition (r = –0.071), dietary restraint (r = 0.051), or feeling of general hunger (r = –0.028). These results suggest that higher levels of ghrelin are associated with low levels of resting and postprandial thermogenesis, which is independent of individual differences in fat-free mass and fat mass. Although speculative, serum ghrelin may play a role in the regulation of energy homeostasis by acting as a hormonal marker of increased energy efficiency.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. H St-Pierre, R. Rabasa-Lhoret, M.-E. Lavoie, A. D Karelis, I. Strychar, E. Doucet, and L. Coderre Fiber intake predicts ghrelin levels in overweight and obese postmenopausal women Eur. J. Endocrinol., July 1, 2009; 161(1): 65 - 72. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. B Votruba, H. Kirchner, M. Tschop, A. D Salbe, and J. Krakoff Morning ghrelin concentrations are not affected by short-term overfeeding and do not predict ad libitum food intake in humans Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, March 1, 2009; 89(3): 801 - 806. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Gjedde, E. T. Vestergaard, L. C. Gormsen, A. L. D. Riis, J. Rungby, N. Moller, J. Weeke, and J. O. L. Jorgensen Serum Ghrelin Levels Are Increased in Hypothyroid Patients and Become Normalized by L-Thyroxine Treatment J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2008; 93(6): 2277 - 2280. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. H. St-Pierre, A. D. Karelis, L. Coderre, F. Malita, J. Fontaine, D. Mignault, M. Brochu, J.-P. Bastard, K. Cianflone, E. Doucet, et al. Association of Acylated and Nonacylated Ghrelin with Insulin Sensitivity in Overweight and Obese Postmenopausal Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 2007; 92(1): 264 - 269. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Marzullo, A. Caumo, G. Savia, B. Verti, G. E. Walker, S. Maestrini, A. Tagliaferri, A. M. Di Blasio, and A. Liuzzi Predictors of Postabsorptive Ghrelin Secretion after Intake of Different Macronutrients J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2006; 91(10): 4124 - 4130. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. R. Garrel, R. Rabasa-Lhoret, and P. Boyle Preventing scientific fraud. Ann Intern Med, September 19, 2006; 145(6): 473 - 473. [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. L. Sullivan, F. H. Koegler, and J. L. Cameron Individual differences in physical activity are closely associated with changes in body weight in adult female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, September 1, 2006; 291(3): R633 - R642. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. J. Moran, N. D. Luscombe-Marsh, M. Noakes, G. A. Wittert, J. B. Keogh, and P. M. Clifton The Satiating Effect of Dietary Protein Is Unrelated to Postprandial Ghrelin Secretion J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2005; 90(9): 5205 - 5211. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C Dornonville de la Cour, A Lindqvist, E Egecioglu, Y C L Tung, V Surve, C Ohlsson, J-O Jansson, C Erlanson-Albertsson, S L Dickson, and R Hakanson Ghrelin treatment reverses the reduction in weight gain and body fat in gastrectomised mice Gut, July 1, 2005; 54(7): 907 - 913. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]