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Thermogenic effect of adrenaline: interaction with insulin

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Summary

The contribution of insulin (3.6 pmol sd kg body mass−1·min−1 to adrenaline-induced (0.164 nmol · kg fat free mass−1·min−1) thermogenesis was studied in ten postabsorptive healthy volunteers using two sequential protocols. Variables considered were oxygen consumption as well as carbon dioxide production, heart rate, blood pressure, plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, glycerol, free fatty acids,β-HO-butyrate and lactate. Adrenaline increased plasma concentrations of glucose, glycerol, free fatty acids, andβ-HO-butyrate, and heart rate and metabolic rate during normo-insulinaemia [61.3 (SEM 6.6) pmol·−1]. Similar effects were observed during hyperinsulinaemia [167.9 (SEM 18.7) pmol·−1], but the effect of adrenaline on oxygen consumption was reduced. On average, metabolic rate increased by 12.9% during normo-insulinaemia and by 8.9% during hyperinsulinaemia. We concluded that relative hyperinsulinaemia resulted in decreased adrenaline-induced thermogenesis and therefore increased whole body anabolism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Konstanty-Gutschow-Straße 8, W-3000, Hannover 61, Germany

    Oliver Selberg, Sabine Schlaak & Manfred J. Müller

  2. Abteilung Klinische Endokrinologie, Medizinische Hochschule, W-3000, Hannover, Germany

    Hans J. Balks & Alexander von zur Mühlen

Authors
  1. Oliver Selberg
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  2. Sabine Schlaak
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  3. Hans J. Balks
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  4. Alexander von zur Mühlen
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  5. Manfred J. Müller
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Selberg, O., Schlaak, S., Balks, H.J. et al. Thermogenic effect of adrenaline: interaction with insulin. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 63, 417–423 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00868072

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00868072

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