Stress does not affect ghrelin secretion in obese and normal weight women

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Ghrelin in this randomized controlled trial publication.

Aim of the study was to analyze the effect of acute psychosocial stress on ghrelin secretion in obese and normal weight women.

Why It Was Studied

The biological basis of this phenomenon may be a stress-induced alteration of the secretion of GUT peptides such as ghrelin.

Stress-induced changes in ghrelin secretion could be a biological basis of overeating and a factor contributing to the development of obesity.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 43 women taking part.

The age groups tagged for this paper are teenagers, young adults and adults, men only.

After the TSST, respectively, control session participants had a standardized ad libitum meal. 30 and 60 min after the TSST, respectively, control session preprandial ghrelin was measured again.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized and crossover study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Ghrelin and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Each person switched between Ghrelin and the comparison at some point, usually with a gap in between.

Ghrelin and cortisol concentrations were measured and ratings of stress were also recorded in response to a psychological stressor (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST).

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Ghrelin, Obesity, Postprandial Period and Stress, Psychological.

The authors tagged it with the keywords Women.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and crossover study of Ghrelin in 43 women.

The publication is from 2017 (Eating and weight disorders : EWD), a journal based in Germany.

More context: the Ghrelin compound page, all human trials.