Abstract
The behavior of blood glucose, serum insulin and free fatty acids in response to intravenous glucagon (1 mg) was studied in the morning and in the evening in eighteen healthy young subjects. In the evening blood glucose and serum insulin levels were higher than in the morning during the late phase of the test (30, 45, 60 min); there were no differences between morning and evening in the early phase of the test (3, 5, 10, 15 min). Higher free fatty acid levels were found in the basal samples and 5, 10, 15 min after the evening glucagon load. The fall from peak values was also significantly greater in the evening. The higher blood glucose values found in the evening in spite of the higher insulin values may be due to an increased hepatic glucose release in response to glucagon, possibly due to a condition of hepatic resistance to insulin; however an impaired uptake of glucose by peripheral tissues cannot be excluded. The higher insulin levels could be due to a slower insulin metabolism or to a greater stimulation of the β-cells by the higher blood glucose levels. The more rapid disappearance of free fatty acids from the blood also observed in the evening may be due either to an enhanced inhibition of lipolysis by the greater insulin levels or to an increase in free fatty acid utilization or reesterification. An increased utilization of free fatty acids could reduce glucose metabolism by peripheral tissues and contribute to diminish insulin sensitivity in the evening.
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Ciavarella, A., Flammini, M., Spoto, M. et al. The role of insulin-resistance and free fatty acids on diurnal variations in glucose response to glucagon stimulation. J Endocrinol Invest 5, 379–382 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350536
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03350536