Effects of calcium and calcitonin on circulating levels of glucagon and glucose in diabetes mellitus

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Abstract
The effects of Ca2+ and calcitonin infusions on circulating glucagon, glucose, C-peptide, Ca2+, and calcitonin were investigated in hyperglucagonaemic insulin-dependent diabetics. In 14 insulin-deprived diabetics and 12 healthy volunteers 2 h infusions of saline (0.154 mol/l), Ca2+ (0.375 mmol/kg body weight), and calcitonin (4.5 IU/kg body weight) were performed. There were no significant changes during saline infusion. In the diabetics, Ca2+ infusions induced a rise of plasma Ca2+ up to 3.2±0.1 mmol/l and a fall of circulating glucagon (-26.4±5.7%; p2+ decreased slightly to 2.1±0.2 mmol/l; a fall was found in both glucose (— 24.4±4.0%; p2+, or to Ca2+ and calcitonin infusions. Both Ca2+ and calcitonin infusions induced a fall of serum insulin (— 30.1±6.6%; p< 0.05). Calcitonin depressed circulating glucagon by-18.6±4.4% (p0.1). We conclude from our results that an increase of circulating calcitonin induced by Ca2+ infusions or by exogenous calcitonin administration appears to depress elevated circulating glucagon and glucose in insulin-dependent diabetics.