Stimulation of insulin secretion by large-dose oral arginine administration in healthy adults.
The effects of large-dose oral arginine administration on the secretion of insulin by islet β-cells in healthy adults were determined. Eight non-obese healthy volunteers with normal glucose tolerance participated randomly in tests with four stages (with an interval of at least 3 days): the 300 ml purified water stage (PWS), the 75 g glucose stage (GSS), the 30 g arginine stage (ARS) and the 75 g glucose with 30 g arginine stage (GAS). Venous blood samples were collected to detect the concentrations of glucose and insulin at baseline (0) and at 15, 30, 45, 60 and 120 min after drug administration. The glucose and insulin levels were steady in the PWS. The remaining three stages had similarly shaped insulin concentration-time curves, which differed from that of the PWS. The peak concentration of blood insulin and the net incremental area under the curve of blood insulin in the GSS, ARS and GAS were significantly higher compared with those in the PWS (P<0.05). In the ARS, the glucose levels remained stable; however, the net incremental area under the curve for blood insulin in the ARS was much lower compared with that in the GSS or GAS (P<0.05). Large-dose oral arginine administration may slightly stimulate insulin secretion by islet β-cells in healthy adults with normal glucose tolerance in a manner that is independent of glucose concentration.
Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001;
Zhu-Qi
ZQ
Tang
Tao
T
Wu
Shi-Wei
SW
Cui
Xiao-Hui
XH
Zhu
Tong
T
Yin
Cui-Fang
CF
Wang
Jing-Yi
JY
Zhu
Ai-Juan
AJ
Wu
arginine; glucose tolerance; insulin