A Comparison of Carbohydrate Metabolism After Sucrose, Sorbitol, and Fructose Meals in Normal and Diabetic Subjects

Abstract

Sucrose, sorbitol, and fructose (35 g) were fed to normal and diabetic subjects as a component of a 400-calorie breakfast. In both normal and diabetic subjects, the mean peak increment in plasma glucose was highest after the sucrose meals (44.0 mg/dl for normal subjects; 78.0 mg/dl for diabetic subjects); lowest after sorbitol meals (9.3 mg/dl for normal subjects; 32.3 mg/dl for diabetic subjects); and intermediate after the fructose meals (29.0 mg/dl for normal subjects; 48.0 mg/dl for diabetic subjects). In normal subjects, the mean peak increment of plasma immunoreactive insulin followed a similar pattern, but in diabetic subjects there was no significant difference between the three groups. We conclude that fructose or sorbitol, given as part of a meal, results in lower glucose levels in both normal and diabetic subjects, but that the latter is not related to a difference in insulin release.