The biological effects and the metabolism of the intestinal hormone glucagonlike peptide-1 7-36 amide and glucagonlike peptide-1 7-37 were studied in normal healthy subjects. GLP-1 7-36 amide and GLP-1 7-37 equipotently stimulated insulin secretion (integrated hormone response 0-60 min, 631 +/- 211 vs. 483 +/- 177 pmol/h x L-1) and C-peptide secretion (integrated hormone response 9064 +/- 1804 vs. 9954 +/- 2031 pmol/h x L-1) and equipotently lowered plasma glucose (integrated decrease 48.3 +/- 5.7 vs. 46.2 +/- 8.4 mmol/h x L-1) and plasma glucagon (integrated decrease 80.4 +/- 24.3 vs. 156.0 +/- 34.6 pmol/h x L-1). Both GLP-1 7-36 amide and GLP-1 7-37 lowered the plasma concentration of free fatty acids significantly. The plasma half-lives of GLP-1 7-36 amide and GLP-1 7-37 were 5.3 +/- 0.4 vs. 6.1 +/- 0.8 min, and the metabolic clearance rates of the two peptides also were similar (14.6 +/- 2.4 vs. 12.2 +/- 1.0 pmol/kg x min). In conclusion, COOH-terminal amidation is neither important for the metabolism of GLP-1 nor for its effects on the endocrine pancreas.