Giving obese people a one-time mix of L-arginine and sodium butyrate before eating made their body release more of a hormone (GLP-1) that helps control blood sugar and appetite — but only for that one meal.
Scientific Claim
In non-diabetic adults with obesity, a single oral dose of L-arginine combined with sodium butyrate administered 60 minutes before a meal is associated with a statistically significant increase in postprandial glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) area under the curve (AUC) compared to no supplement, suggesting a potential acute modulatory effect on gut hormone secretion.
Original Statement
“Oral L-arginine combined with sodium butyrate significantly increased the area under the curve of plasma GLP-1 (AUCGLP−1) compared to no intervention (p = 0.0156).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
overstated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The study used a within-subjects design with no confirmed randomization or blinding and only 7 participants, so it cannot establish causation. The conclusion's use of 'increased' implies causation, which is unsupported.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
The effect of oral l-arginine alone or in combination with sodium butyrate on glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion in non-diabetic adults with obesity.
The study found that taking L-arginine and sodium butyrate together before a meal made a hunger-controlling hormone (GLP-1) rise significantly in obese people without diabetes, just like the claim said.