We studied the effect of intravenous infusion of synthetic truncated GLP-1 (proglucagon 78-107-amide) on fasting and postprandial gastric acid secretion, gastric emptying, and pancreatic secretion of trypsin and lipase in eight normal volunteers using marker dilution and aspiration technique. The infusion resulted in a plasma concentration of 110 +/- 14 pmol/liter (mean +/- SEM). Truncated GLP-1 significantly inhibited postprandial acid secretion by 43 +/- 11% in spite of unchanged plasma gastrin concentration. Gastric emptying rate decreased significantly; 50% emptying time increased from 16 +/- 2 min to 30 +/- 5 min. Postprandial trypsin and lipase outputs were significantly inhibited by 47 +/- 17% and 40 +/- 9% during truncated GLP-1 infusion. Pancreatic enzyme output was linearly correlated to gastric emptying, and truncated GLP-1 did not affect this relationship, suggesting that the effect on pancreatic secretion was secondary to the effect on gastric emptying. Postprandial insulin and glucagon concentrations were similar with and without truncated GLP-1 infusion in spite of significantly lower blood glucose levels (5.2 +/- 0.2 versus 3.7 +/- 0.3), indicating that GLP-1 stimulated insulin secretion and inhibited glucagon secretion. In conclusion, our results suggest that truncated GLP-1 act as a physiological inhibitor of gastric and pancreatic functions in man.