Metabolic adaptation to protein restriction in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

• Published in: The American journal of physiology Vol. 272; no. 1; p. E59
• Main Authors: Hoffer, L.J. (McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.), Taveroff, A, Schiffrin, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.1997
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological; Adult; DIABETE; DIABETES; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - diet therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - metabolism; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; Dietary Proteins - pharmacology; DIETAS RESTRICTAS EN PROTEINAS; Eating; Energy Metabolism; Female; Humans; Male; Nitrogen - metabolism; REGIME ALLEGE EN PROTEINE; Urea - metabolism
• ISSN: 0002-9513; 2163-5773
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.1997.272.1.e59

Eight normal subjects, four subjects with intensively treated insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), and six subjects with conventionally treated IDDM consumed a test meal of 0.5 g protein and 10 kcal per kg body weight, first while adapted to a conventional diet high in protein, and then again after 5 days of dietary protein restriction. Metabolic N balance (N consumed minus urea production) and net protein utilization were measured over the 9 h after consumption of the test meal, as was recovery in urea of 15N from a tracer dose of [15N]alanine included in each test meal. After the first test meal, N balance and net protein utilization were similar and close to zero for all groups. After the second test meal, N balance and net protein utilization became positive for all groups (P 0.05) but significantly less so (P 0.05) for the conventionally treated than for the normal and intensively treated diabetic subjects. 15N recovery in urea was reduced for all groups after the second test meal (P 0.05) but probably less effectively (P 0.09) for the conventionally treated diabetic subjects. Metabolic adaptation to protein restriction may be less effective than normal in conventionally treated IDDM