Cited by 119Regulation of Appetite and ObesityCircadian rhythm and melatoninSleep and Work-Related Fatigue

Ghrelin is impacted by the endogenous circadian system and by circadian misalignment in humans

Open access
Qian, Jingyi, Morris, Christopher J., Caputo, Rosanna, Garaulet, Marta, Scheer, Frank A. J. L.·2019·International Journal of Obesity

Abstract

The human circadian system regulates hunger independently of behavioral factors, resulting in a trough in the biological morning and a peak in the biological evening. However, the role of the only known orexigenic hormone, ghrelin, in this circadian rhythm is unknown. Furthermore, although shift work is an obesity risk factor, the separate effects of the endogenous circadian system, the behavioral cycle, and circadian misalignment on ghrelin has not been systematically studied. Here we show-by using two 8-day laboratory protocols-that circulating active (acylated) ghrelin levels are significantly impacted by endogenous circadian phase in healthy adults. Active ghrelin levels were higher in the biological evening than the biological morning (fasting +15.1%, P = 0.0001; postprandial +10.4%, P = 0.0002), consistent with the circadian variation in hunger (P = 0.028). Moreover, circadian misalignment itself (12-h behavioral cycle inversion) increased postprandial active ghrelin levels (+5.4%; P = 0.04). While not significantly influencing hunger (P > 0.08), circadian misalignment increased appetite for energy-dense foods (all P < 0.05). Our results provide possible mechanisms for the endogenous circadian rhythm in hunger, as well as for the increased risk of obesity among shift workers.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/s41366-018-0208-9

Cites

25 of 25 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Qian, J., Morris, C. J., Caputo, R., Garaulet, M., & Scheer, F. A. J. L.
Affiliations
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • Universidad de Murcia (ES)
Corresponding author
  • Qian, Jingyi
  • Scheer, Frank A. J. L.
Venue
International Journal of Obesity
Published
2018-09-19
Volume
43
Issue
8
Pages
1644-1649
ISSN
  • 0307-0565 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5497
OpenAlex
W2890695607
Cited by
119
References
25
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 2
FWCI
6.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Obesity (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • American Diabetes Association (R01DK102696, #1‐17‐PDF‐103, R01HL118601, R01DK099512, R01DK105072)
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (UL1RR025758)
  • Harvard University (UL1RR025758)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIDDK R01DK105072)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL118601, R01HL094806)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK099512, R01DK105072, NIDDK R01DK105072, R01DK102696)
  • National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR025758)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
Keywords
ghrelin, circadian rhythm, circadian misalignment, shift work, hunger, appetite, energy-dense foods, postprandial ghrelin, circadian phase, obesity risk, orexigenic hormones
MeSH terms
Shift Work Schedule, Adult, Appetite, Circadian Rhythm, Diet, Fasting, Female, Humans, Hunger, Male, Obesity, Sleep, Cross-Over Studies, Postprandial Period, Ghrelin, Young Adult, Meals, Breakfast

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review