The effect of L-phenylalanine on appetite v1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of L-phenylalanine on appetite
IRAS ID
166328
Contact name
Kevin Murphy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
AHSC Joint Research Compliance Office
Eudract number
2015-003575-29
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Obesity and its complications are major worldwide public health issues. There is currently a need for effective, economically viable treatment options. Protein has a powerful satiating effect that is greater than that of carbohydrate and fat. High protein diets reduce food intake and facilitate weight loss in animal models and in man but the mechanisms by which protein is sensed are poorly understood. Pilot experiments have shown that L-phenylalanine (an essential amino acid) powerfully inhibits food intake and improves glucose control when orally administered to rodents, whilst D-phenylalanine (metabolically inactive form) has no effect. We will perform a study to investigate whether oral administration of L-phenylalanine (with doses corresponding to those found in a large high protein meal) will reduce hunger and food intake versus administration of D-phenylalanine in human volunteers. We will determine the effect of different doses of L-phenylalanine on acute food intake, subjective assessment of appetite, gut hormone release and markers of glucose homeostasis compared to D-phenylalanine and vehicle control in healthy individuals.
REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1040
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion