Increased plasma PYY levels following supplementation with the functional fiber PolyGlycopleX in healthy adults

Abstract

A variety of dietary fibers have been shown to alter satiety hormone gene expression and secretion. The objective of this study was to examine plasma satiety hormone concentrations in healthy subjects consuming either PolyGlycopleX (PGX) or control (skim milk powder) for 21 days. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted in 54 healthy male and female adults. Participants consumed 5 g per day of PGX or control for 1 week followed by 2 additional weeks of 10 g per day of assigned product (n=27 per group). Primary outcomes measured at three visits (V1, V2 and V3) were plasma active glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) total ghrelin, peptide YY (PYY) and insulin. There was a significant effect of visit for fasting PYY with control participants experiencing decreased PYY levels over time while PGX prevented this decline. When stratified by body mass index (BMI), PGX increased fasting PYY levels from week 1 to week 3 compared with control in participants with BMI <23 kg/m(2). There was a significant effect of visit for fasting ghrelin with levels decreasing in both PGX and control groups over time. No differences were detected in fasting GLP-1 levels. Although there was a 14% reduction in fasting insulin between V1 and V3 with PGX this was not significantly different from control. PGX is a highly viscous, functional fiber that modifies satiety hormone secretion in healthy adults. Its' potential to act similarly in overweight adults warrants investigation.