EVIDENCE THAT INSULIN RELEASE IS THE MECHANISM FOR EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED LEUCINE HYPOGLYCEMIA IN MAN*

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Abstract
Plasma levels of insulin were measured by immunoassay before, during, and after the administration of leucine to healthy subjects a) after pretreatment with chlorpropamide, b) after pretreatment with Ultra Lente insulin, and c) without previous administration of hypoglycemic agents, In chlorpropamide-pretreated subjects, administration of leucine produced large and consistent increases in plasma levels of insulin and large decreases in blood levels of glucose. When leucine was administered to subjects either pretreated with Ultra Lente insulin or without pretreatment, plasma insulin increases were considerably smaller, and blood glucose decreased less. We conclude that increased release of additional insulin is the primary mechanism by which leucine causes hypoglycemia in healthy subjects whether or not they are pretreated with sulfonylurea compounds.