Effect of Acute Elevation of Plasma Glycerol, Triglyceride and FFA Levels on Glucose Utilization and Plasma Insulin

The effects of raised plasma levels of glycerol, free fatty acids (FFA) and triglyceride on the disappearance rate (K_g) of intravenously administered glucose (25 gm.) and on the response of plasma immunoreactive insulin (IRI) to intravenous glucose were studied in thirty-six subjects. Increase of plasma glycerol level by oral glycerol augmented the K_g but not the glucose-stimulated plasma insulin level. Alimentary hyperglyceridemia enhanced the disappearance rate of glucose and the response of plasma insulin to glucose. Heparin injected intravenously during alimentary glyceridemia caused a five-to seven-fold increment of the levels of plasma FFA and glycerol but did not influence either the disappearance rate of glucose or the response of plasma insulin to glucose. Heparin injected in fasting state slowed significantly the disappearance rate of glucose, but did not change the insulin response.