Postprandial whole-body glycolysis is similar in insulin-resistant and insulin-sensitive non-diabetic humans

Abstract

Aims/hypothesis Insulin resistance is characterised by impaired glucose utilisation when measured by a euglycaemic– hyperinsulinaemic clamp. We hypothesised that, in response to postprandial conditions, non-diabetic individuals would have similar intracellular glycolytic and oxidative glucose metabolism independent of the degree of insulin resistance. Methods Fourteen (seven male) sedentary, insulin-sensitive participants (mean±SD: BMI 25±4 kg/m2; age 39±10 years; glucose disposal rate 9.4±2.1 mg [kg estimated metabolic body size]−1 min−1) and 14 (six male) sedentary, nondiabetic, insulin-resistant volunteers (29±4 kg/m2; 34± 13 years; 5.3±1.2 mg [kg estimated metabolic body size]−1 min−1) received after a 10 h fast 60 g glucose plus 15 g [6,6-2H2]glucose. Serum glucose and insulin concentrations, plasma 2H enrichment and whole-body gas exchange were determined before glucose ingestion and hourly thereafter for 4 h. Plasma 2H2O production is an index of glycolytic disposal. On day 2, participants received a weight-maintenance diet. On day 3, a euglycaemic–hyperinsulinaemic clamp was performed. Results Insulin-resistant individuals had about a twofold higher postprandial insulin response than insulin-sensitive individuals (p00.003). Resting metabolic rate was similar in the two groups before (p00.29) and after (p00.33–0.99 over time) glucose ingestion, whereas a trend for blunted glucose-induced thermogenesis was observed in insulinresistant vs insulin-sensitive individuals (p00.06). However, over the 4 h after the 75 g glucose ingestion, glycolytic glucose disposal was the same in insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant individuals (36.5±3.7 and 36.2±6.4 mmol, respectively; p00.99). Similarly, whole-body carbohydrate oxidation did not differ between the groups either before or after glucose ingestion (p00.41). Conclusions/interpretation Postprandial hyperinsulinaemia and modest hyperglycaemia overcome insulin resistance by enhancing tissue glucose uptake and intracellular glucose utilisation.