Friday, July 15, 2011

Effects of FFA and Ketone Levels on Basal Insulin Secretion

From Guenther Boden's group at Temple  

Acute Lowering of Plasma Fatty Acids Lowers Basal Insulin Secretion in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Subjects

In this study, these researchers used nicotinic acid (NA, aka niacin) to lower fasting/basal free fatty acid (FFA aka NEFA) levels and looked at basal/fasting insulin secretion rates (ISR's).   They also measured beta-hydroxybutyrate (they use β-OHB abbreviation in the manuscript), otherwise known as ketones.   The NA was administered orally every 30 min for the four hour duration of the test for subjects in the fasted state.   They essentially compared two groups of diabetics with non-diabetic controls.  Euglycemic clamps were used in one group of diabetics and controls -- blood glucose held constant at normal levels -- mean glucose 5.3 and 5.1 mmol/l  respectively.  They also tested a group of diabetics at elevated fasting glucose with an isoglycemic clamp -- again blood glucose held constant but this time at 10 mmol/l.  To rule out any direct effect of NA on insulin, a control was done with a lipid infusion to prevent FFA levels from changing and it was determined that NA did not alter insulin.  I've summarized the data in the table below:
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