Incretin effect after oral amino acid ingestion in humans

Context: The incretin effect is the augmented insulin secretion by oral versus intravenous glucose at matching glucose levels. We previously demonstrated an augmented insulin secretion when fat is given orally rather than intravenously, suggesting an incretin effect also after fat. However, whether there is an incretin effect is also present after amino acid ingestion is not known. Objective: To explore insulin secretion and islet hormones after oral and intravenous amino acid administration at matched total amino acid concentrations in healthy subjects. Design: Amino acid mixture (VaminolacR) was administered orally or intravenously at a rate resulting in matching total amino acid concentrations to twelve male volunteers with age 22.5±1.4 yr and BMI 22.4±1.4 kg/m2, who had no history of diabetes. Main outcome measures: Area under the 120 min curve (AUC) for insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, intact and total glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and insulin secretory rate and insulin clearance. Results: Insulin, C-peptide and glucagon levels increased after both oral and intravenous administration, but insulin secretion was 25% higher after oral than after intravenous amino acid challenges (P=0.006), whereas there was no significant difference in the glucagon response. Intact and total GIP rose after oral but not after intravenous amino acid administration, whereas intact and total GLP-1 levels did not change significantly in either test. Conclusion: Oral amino acid mixture ingestion elicits a stronger insulin secretory response than intravenous amino acid at matching amino acid levels and that this is associated with increased GIP level, suggesting that an incretin effect exists also after oral amino acids, possibly mediated by GIP.