Low carbohydrate diet reduces the treatment effect of glucagon on mild hypoglycemia

A new article published in Diabetes Care (January 2017) by Danish Diabetes Academy PhD student Ajenthen Ranjan, University of Copenhagen, shows that low carbohydrate diet impairs the effect of glucagon in the treatment of insulin-induced mild hypoglycaemia.

LOW DOSES OF GLUCAGON FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF MILD HYPOGLYCAEMIA

Hypoglycaemia is a limiting factor in glycaemic control in type 1 diabetes. "Low doses of glucagon, as add-on to the intensive insulin therapy, have been proposed to prevent and treat mild hypoglycaemia and thus provide a better glycaemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes", states Ajenthen Ranjan.

ANTI-HYPOCLYCAEMIC EFFECTS OF GLUCAGON AFTER LOW -AND HIGH CARBOHYDRATE DIET

This study investigated whether glucagon had similar anti-hypoglycaemic effects after low carbohydrate diet (LCD) or high carbohydrate diet (HCD). According to Ajenthen Ranjan, ten patients with insulin-pump treated type 1 diabetes were included to perform two study days, each after one week of LCD (<50 g/day) or HCD (>250 g/day) in random order. On the study days, a subcutaneous insulin-induced mild hypoglycaemia was treated with a subcutaneous glucagon bolus of 100 µg, followed by another glucagon bolus of 500 µg two hours later.

CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION

"We found that LCD reduced the treatment effect of glucagon on mild hypoglycaemia. Therefore, carbohydrate intake should be considered when low-dose glucagon is used to correct mild hypoglycaemia", Ajenthen Ranjan concludes.

Source: Diabetes Care