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 language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1508-1511 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism |
Volume | 81 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1996 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
- Biochemistry
- Endocrinology
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Biochemistry, medical