Role of Beta-Adrenergic Receptors in Counterregulation to Insulin-induced Hypoglycemia

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Abstract
In in vitro studies, propranolol, a specific beta-adrenergic blocker, prevented both epinephrine and iso-proterenol from inducing inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by rat hemidiaphragm. Methoxamine, an alpha-adrenergic stimulator, did not alter insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. In man, propranolol blocked the late rise of blood lactate levels which occurs during insulin tolerance tests, indicating that muscle glycogenolysis was prevented and suggesting that propranolol prevents epinephrine from inducing peripheral insulin resistance. This might in part account for the prolonged hypoglycemia observed in propranolol-insulin tolerance tests.