Metformin and feeding increase levels of the appetite-suppressing metabolite Lac-Phe in humans.
Scott B, Day EA, O’Brien KL, Scanlan J, Cromwell G, Scannail AN, McDonnell ME, Finlay DK, Lynch L.
April 2024
Abstract
Metformin, a widely used first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D), is known to reduce blood glucose levels and suppress appetite. Here we report a significant elevation of the appetite-suppressing metabolite N-lactoyl phenylalanine (Lac-Phe) in the blood of individuals treated with metformin across seven observational and interventional studies. Furthermore, Lac-Phe levels were found to rise in response to acute metformin administration and post-prandially in patients with T2D or in metabolically healthy volunteers.