Range-Related Glycaemic Response to Increasing Load of Carbohydrates

Abstract

The glycaemic response to feeding increased loads of glucose and sucrose was investigated in man and rat. Assessed were the tolerance tests after feeding 10–100g glucose or 10–20 g sucrose to hospitalized diabetic or non-diabetic patients and after loading 30–450 mg glucose or sucrose per 100 g body weight to alloxan-diabetic or non-diabetic rats. The maximal levels of tolerance curves, the increase in blood glucose levels and the sum of the glycaemic values reflecting the areas under the curves were chosen as criteria. The correlation between the dose of ingested carbohydrates and the glycaemic effect was not necessarily linear, but blood glucose values following the carbohydrate loads were concentrated in ranges, corresponding to groups of load sizes. These observations may be practical for the diagnostic procedure and dietetic treatment of the diabetic patient.