Effects of fasting and glucose load on free cortisol responses to stress and nicotine.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide), published as a randomized controlled trial.

The availability of energy appears to exert important regulatory functions in pituitary-adrenal stress responses.

In two studies, the effects of short-term fasting and subsequent glucose administration on the free cortisol response to psychological stress and nicotine consumption were investigated.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 1, subjects taking part.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults, men only.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized and crossover.

The subjects were allocated by chance, so the Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Each person switched between Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) and the comparison at some point, usually with a gap in between.

What Was Measured

One hour later they were exposed to a psychosocial stress task (Trier Social Stress Test).

Although glucose load per se did not affect free cortisol levels, psychosocial stress induced a large cortisol response in glucose-treated subjects.

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Blood Glucose, Fasting, Glucose, Hydrocortisone, Nicotine, Smoking and Stress, Psychological.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and crossover study of Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) in 1, subjects.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 1997 (The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Therapeutic nicotine (patch, non-peptide) compound page, all human trials.