Lysine ingestion markedly attenuates the glucose response to ingested glucose without a change in insulin response

Abstract

Background: Ingested proteins are known to stimulate a rise in insulin and glucagon concentrations. In our effort to explain this effect, we have begun to measure the effect of individual amino acids. Objectives: The objectives were to determine the effect of lysine ingestion on insulin and glucagon concentrations and whether the effect is moderated by glucose ingestion. Design: Thirteen healthy subjects were studied on 4 occasions. Water, 25 g glucose, 1 mmol lysine/kg lean body mass, or lysine plus glucose was given on separate occasions at 0800 after a 12-h fast. Serum lysine, glucose, insulin, and glucagon were measured during a 2.5-h period. The amount of lysine provided was equivalent to that present in a 672-g (24-oz) steak. Results: Lysine ingestion resulted in an '3-fold increase in lysine concentration and in a small decrease in glucose concentration. When lysine was ingested with glucose, the 2.5-h glucose area response decreased by 44% (P , 0.02). Lysine alone increased the insulin area response modestly; the insulin increase when lysine was ingested with glucose was similar to that when only glucose was ingested. Lysine stimulated an increase in glucagon (P , 0.02), whereas glucose decreased glucagon. Conclusions: Lysine ingestion results in a small decrease in serum glucose and an increase in glucagon and insulin concentrations. Lysine ingested with glucose dramatically attenuated the glucosestimulated glucose response, but there was no change in insulin response. Whether similar effects will be observed with more physiologic doses of lysine remains to be determined. 2009;90:314-20. Am J Clin Nutr

Amino acid ingestion and glucose metabolism—A review

“…4). This occurred even though the increase in that specific amino acid also was attenuated when ingested with glucose (17,26,30,31).…”

“…The results for several of the amino acids have been published, that is, arginine (26), glycine (27), proline (17), phenylalanine (28), isoleucine (29), leucine (30), and lysine (31).…”

Meal Pattern of Male Rats Maintained on Amino Acid Supplemented Diets: The Effect of Tryptophan, Lysine, Arginine, Proline and Threonine

“…We have previously investigated the impact of certain amino acids [24,25], and the present work focuses on lysine, tryptophan, arginine, proline and threonine. Lysine ingestion was reported to increase postprandial glucose clearance [26] and to stimulate the secretion of the gut hormones, CCK and GLP-1 [27]. Tryptophan is needed for the synthesis of serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to be involved in appetite regulation.…”

Psychometric properties of VEAN-Hi (Valoración del Espectro Autista para Hispanos), Autism Spectrum Assessment for Hispanic Children (ASA-HiCh) A free open access instrument

“…Furthermore, the ability of Lysine to reduce the formation of glycated proteins in diabetes induced rats, have also shown to delay the appearance of the late pathologies associated with protein glycation [6]. Lysine is known to react with glucose with the glycated amino acid being excreted in urine and it has been shown to markedly attenuate the glucose response to ingested glucose without a change in insulin response in humans [7]. Furthermore, studies have shown that it reduces the formation of glycated proteins in diabetes induced animal models [5].…”

“…It has been long known that diabetes is accompanied by hypozincemia [16] and hyperzincuria [17]. Animal studies showed that Zinc supplementation has improved fasting insulin level and fasting glucose in mice models [6,7]. In Korea 44 diabetic patients and 34 normal subjects were supplemented with 50 mg Zinc daily as Zinc gluconate for 4 weeks.…”