The Legume Inflammation Feeding Experiment (LIFE): Effects of Gut Hormone Levels

Abstract

The LIFE Study was designed to test the effects of a legume‐rich diet on biomarkers of insulin resistance (IR) and inflammation. A secondary objective was to test the effect of the diet on gut hormones: leptin, ghrelin (total), and cholecystokinin (CCK). Sixty‐four men (35‐75 yrs), who had undergone a screening colonoscopy within the past 2 years, were recruited in Central Pennsylvania to consume a legume diet (LG,1 1/2 cups of cooked dry beans) and an isocaloric average American diet (AA) in random order each for 4 weeks separated by a 3‐wk compliance break. Preliminary results show that fasting plasma leptin concentrations were reduced on both LG (‐0.118 ± 0.026 S.D. ng/mL, P<0.0001) and AA diets (‐0.072 ± 0.019 ng/mL, P=0.0003) but the difference between diets was not statistically significant (P=0.1499). Fasting ghrelin levels slightly decreased on LG diet (‐15.289 ± 16.709 pg/mL) and increased on AA diet (19.129 ± 19.607 pg/mL); however, neither diet had an effect on ghrelin (P=0.3637 and P=0.3330, respectively). These results indicate that a legume‐rich diet may have favorable effects on lowering fasting leptin level with stable body weight. The measure and data analysis of CCK is ongoing. This study is supported by the National Cancer Institute and partial support provided by the GCRC, PSU.