Comparison of the ability of bread versus bread plus meat to treat and prevent subsequent hypoglycemia in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Richard O. Gray, Peter C. Butler, Thomas R. Beers, Edward J. Kryshak, Robert A. Rizza

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

We sought to determine whether treatment of hypoglycemia with a snack containing both protein and carbohydrate results in more prolonged protection against subsequent hypoglycemia than ingestion of carbohydrate alone. We studied six insulin-dependent diabetic subjects on two occasions. On both occasions subjects received a variable overnight insulin infusion to achieve euglycemia followed by a constant insulin infusion (~0.5mU · kg-1 · min-1) designed to produce hypoglycemia. When glucose reached 50 mg/dL, subjects were fed a snack consisting of either bread (~85 kcal) or bread plus meat (~205 kcal). Both contained 15 g of carbohydrate. The insulin infusion was continued for the next 3 h or until glucose again fell to 50 mg/dL. Although bread plus meat resulted in a more marked rise (P < 0.05) in glucagon than did bread alone, neither the post treatment peak glucose concentration (73 ± 4 vs. 70 ± 6 mg/dL) nor the subsequent rate of fall of glucose (-0.42 ± 0.10 vs. -0.35 ± 0.07 mg/dL/min) differed. The present study shows that the rate of redevelopment of hypoglycemia does not differ after eating bread or bread plus meat. Therefore treatment of hypoglycemia with a protein- enriched snack merely adds calories rather prolonged protection against subsequent hypoglycemia.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1508-1511
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume81
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1996

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Biochemistry
  • Endocrinology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Biochemistry, medical

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