Slowly digested carbohydrate food improves impaired carbohydrate tolerance in patients with cirrhosis

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Abstract
To test whether impaired carbohydrate tolerance in cirrhosis could be modified by dietary means 10 cirrhotic patients, 5 of them taking insulin, took as breakfast either lentils or wholemeal bread and cottage cheese containing the same amount of carbohydrate and protein. Lentils resulted in significantly diminished blood glucose, insulin (in those not on insulin) and gastric inhibitory peptide responses. Enteroglucagon and neurotensin levels were high with lentils, suggesting that absorption of lentil carbohydrate continued into the ileum with perhaps some malabsorption, so confirming the results of earlier studies in vitro. However, breath H2 studies on a separate group of 8 healthy volunteers indicated that the difference in carbohydrate malabsorption between lentil and wholemeal bread was insignificant. Slowly digested carbohydrate foods, such as leguminous seeds, may minimize carbohydrate intolerance in patients with cirrhosis.