Question

After the experiment, the researchers discovered that one participant in the high fat group was currently taking two prescribed drugs: orlistat (lipase inhibitor) and colestipo (bile acid sequestrant) and one participant in the high protein group was currently taking a prescribed proton pump inhibitor (reduce stomach acid production).

Question 2. Identify which hormone(s) listed above are impacted by the prescribed drug/medication for each respective meal and explain the impact (i.e. does the prescribed drug/medication affect the release and/or action of the hormone?)

- Orlistat and colestipo and a high fat meal

- Proton pump inhibitor and a high protein meal

Answer 1

Orlistat prevents the absorption of fats in the intestine. It affects the insulin level in blood, although indirectly. It also affects LH levels. Colestipo is also a drug affecting cholesterol levels and fat absorption in the gut. Since insulin is considered a hormone responsible for weight gain as it regulates the fat and carbohydrate levels in the body, colestipo also affects insulin levels in blood. Insulin allows the body to store glucose as glycogen as energy reserves in the body. High levels of insulin are known to increase body weight.

* Proton pump inhibitors reduce the amount of acid made and released in the stomach. Acid is important for protein digestion because the inactive pepsinogen is contverted to active pepsin only in an acidic medium. Pepsin is necessary to start the digestion of proteins. Proton pump inhibitor drugs inhibit the H+/K+-ATPase enzyme system on the surface of the parietal cells. The hormones affected by these drugs will be somatostatin and histamines in the stomach and secretin, motilin, GIP and cholecystokinine in the small intestine.