Secretin--a new stress hormone?

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Human Physiology
• Stress Physiology

Background:

• Secretin is a gastrointestinal hormone regulating various physiological processes.
• Prolonged physiological stress can impact hormonal balance.
• Understanding secretin's response to multifactorial stress is crucial for human performance and health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of a 5-day military training course on plasma secretin concentrations.
• To assess the influence of caloric deficiency and sleep deprivation on secretin levels.
• To determine the impact of food intake on secretin during stress.

Main Methods:

• Measurement of plasma secretin concentrations in 24 subjects undergoing a 5-day military training course.
• Subjects experienced prolonged physical exercise, severe caloric deficiency, and sleep deprivation.
• Comparison of secretin levels between groups with varied compensation for caloric deficiency and sleep deprivation.
• Assessment of secretin response to meal ingestion and oral glucose during the course.

Main Results:

• Fasting plasma secretin increased 3-6 fold during the military training course.
• Minimal differences in secretin increase were observed between the experimental groups.
• Ingestion of a mixed meal reduced fasting plasma secretin by approximately 40%.
• Oral glucose administration rapidly decreased plasma secretin to control levels.

Conclusions:

• Prolonged multifactorial stress, such as that experienced during military training, significantly elevates plasma secretin in humans.
• While food intake can modulate secretin levels post-stress, the primary driver of elevation appears to be the stress itself.
• Plasma secretin serves as a potential biomarker for physiological stress response.