Plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin response to glucose ingestion in human obesity.

Following the oral administration of 100 g of glucose, morbidly-obese subjects and non-obese controls demonstrated increased levels of plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin. There was a slow rise in plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin in the non-obese controls throughout the 3-h observation period. The obese subjects demonstrated a delayed and significantly greater rise of plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin, when compared to the controls. These findings may have implications for further research in human obesity.