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.

Taking just L-arginine before a meal might slightly raise the appetite-regulating hormone GLP-1 in obese people, but the result was too weak to be sure it wasn’t just random chance.

The combo of L-arginine and sodium butyrate raised the appetite hormone more than L-arginine alone — but we don’t know if that difference was real or just luck.

Taking L-arginine or L-arginine plus sodium butyrate didn’t change blood sugar levels after eating in obese people — even though it raised one appetite hormone.

Even though the supplements raised a hormone linked to fullness, people didn’t feel any less hungry or more full after eating.