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Updated: May 1, 2026

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood
Published on: April 28, 2016
Nicotine administration in healthy non-smokers reduces appetite but does not alter plasma ghrelin
Maximilian Pilhatsch1, Hannah Scheuing, Nils Kroemer
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Objective:
We studied whether suppressed secretion of the orexigenic peptide ghrelin might be involved in the anorexigenic effects of nicotine.
Methods:
Fifty healthy non-smokers chewed gums containing 2 mg nicotine, or no nicotine in a double-blind randomised crossover design in two independent studies.
Results:
Plasma nonacylated ghrelin was not significantly affected by nicotine after 30 and 60 min. Increased blood pressure and decreased appetite ratings confirmed a biological nicotine effect.
Conclusions:
These results do not support a key role of peripheral ghrelin secretion in weight changes related to smoking or smoking cessation, but do not rule out that central nervous system ghrelin is involved.
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