Triglyceride Metabolism in Acute Starvation: The Role of Secretin and Glucagon

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Abstract
Plasma lipid and hormone levels were measured during 72 h total starvation in 9 healthy subjects, to assess the relative importance of hormones and substrates in human triglyceride metabolism. Plasma free fatty acid and glycerol concentrations rose steadily on each day of starvation. Plasma triglyceride concentrations rose on the 2nd and 3rd days, from a control level of 649 .+-. 67 mg/l to a maximum of 1001 .+-. 66 mg/l. Plasma cholesterol concentrations remained unchanged while glucose concentrations fell and insulin did not change. Plasma glucagon (C-GLI) levels doubled while secretin levels, reported previously, rose 3-fold. During acute starvation the rise in triglyceride concentration may result from the increased availability of free fatty acids. Elevated secretin and glucagon levels enhance lipolysis and hence provide substrates for triglyceride synthesis.