Postgraduate Symposium Do SCFA have a role in appetite regulation?

Abstract

The recently discovered SCFA-activated G-coupled protein receptors FFAreceptor 2 and FFA receptor 3 are co-localised in L-cells with theanorexigenic `ileal brake' gut hormone peptide YY, and also inadipocytes, with activation stimulating leptin release. Thus, SCFA suchas acetate and propionate show promise as a candidate to increasesatiety-enhancing properties of food. We therefore postulate SCFA mayhave a role in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis. SCFA can bedelivered either directly within food, or indirectly via the colon bythe provision of fermentable non-digestible carbohydrates. A review ofstudies investigating the effects of oral SCFA ingestion on appetitesuggests that while oral SCFA ingestion is associated with enhancedsatiety, this may be explained by product palatability rather than aphysiological effect of SCFA. Colon-derived SCFA generated duringmicrofloral fermentation have also been suggested to explainsatiety-enhancing properties of non-digestible carbohydrates. However,findings are mixed from investigations into the effects of the prebioticinulin-type fructans on appetite. Overall, data presented in this reviewdo not support a role for SCFA in appetite regulation.