Glucose and free fatty acid turnover in normal subjects and in diabetic patients before and after insulin treatment

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Turnover rates of glucose and free fatty acids were measured, using3H-glucose and14C-1-palmitic acid as tracers, in insulin-requiring diabetic patients at presentation and after insulin treatment. Correlations were sought with rates of substrate oxidation, determined independently from respiratory exchange, and with plasma hormone concentrations. The rates of appearance of glucose and of free fatty acids were increased in the diabetics to 17.6 and 10.2 μmol min−1 kg−1 respectively. Both rates fell to normal (13.3 and 7.1 μmol min−1 kg−1) after insulin. In the untreated state there was an inverse relationship between the rates of utilisation of glucose and free fatty acids (r=0.61; p3) were increased whereas thyroxine and 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3) were decreased. 3,5,3′-Triiodothyronine concentration was closely related to the metabolic clearance rate of glucose (p<0.05), while cortisol concentrations correlated with glucose production (p<0.02) and blood ketone body concentration (p<0.02). It is concluded that glucose overproduction is the major contributor to the hyperglycaemia of untreated diabetes.