Nicotine administration in healthy non-smokers reduces appetite but does not alter plasma ghrelin.

Objective: We studied whether suppressed secretion of the orexigenic peptide ghrelin might be involved in the anorexigenic effects of nicotine.

Methods: Fifty healthy non-smokers chewed gums containing 2 mg nicotine, or no nicotine in a double-blind randomised crossover design in two independent studies.

Results: Plasma nonacylated ghrelin was not significantly affected by nicotine after 30 and 60 min.