Together, obesity and diabetes form a 21st century epidemic, the treatment of which consumes a substantial fraction of global health costs. New and improved therapies are therefore desperately needed.

Incretins are short peptide hormones released from the gut in response to food transit. These hormones regulate a plethora of processes to control food intake, body weight and glucose homeostasis. This is one of the fastest areas of growth within diabetes research, and over the past decade, increasing numbers of novel diabetes drugs — many based on incretin action — have been added to the therapeutic armoury.

Following an introduction detailing the historical perspective and discovery of incretin therapies and clinical applications, the book looks at the release of incretins at a cellular level from entero-endocrine cells, and actions on the pancreas (alpha and beta cells) and brain. It then looks at changes in incretins seen in diabetes and following bariatric surgery. Finally, the side effects of incretin therapy are discussed. Importantly, each chapter contains a methodology section aimed at providing a practical guide to key techniques in the field of incretin biology and ranges from basic laboratory research to clinical practice.

Incretin Biology — A Practical Guide offers a unique perspective within this field of research by bringing together scientists, physicians and bariatric surgeons. Thus, it is a comprehensive text that offers a broad overview of the subject.