Effect of acarbose on postprandial blood glucose concentrations in healthy cats fed low and high carbohydrate diets

Abstract

Objectives Feeding a low carbohydrate diet is recommended for diabetic cats; however, some cats may require diets containing moderate-to-high carbohydrate and may benefit from the use of therapeutic agents to improve glycemic control. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the α-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose on postprandial plasma glucose concentration when combined with commercially available feline diets high and low in carbohydrate. Methods Twelve healthy, adult, non-obese, neutered cats were enrolled. Plasma glucose concentrations were assessed over 24 h after feeding high and low carbohydrate diets, with and without acarbose, during single and multiple meal tests, in a crossover study. Commercially available feline diets were used, which were high and low in carbohydrate (providing 51% and 7% of metabolizable energy, respectively). Results In cats fed the high carbohydrate diet as a single meal, mean 24 h glucose concentrations were lower when acarbose was administered. Mean glucose concentrations were lower in the first 12 h when acarbose was given once daily, whereas no significant difference was observed in mean results from 12–24 h. Acarbose had little effect in cats eating multiple meals. Compared with consumption of the high carbohydrate diet with acarbose, lower mean 24 h and peak glucose concentrations were achieved by feeding the low carbohydrate diet alone. Conclusions and relevance In healthy cats meal-fed diets of similar composition to the diets used in this study, acarbose has minimal effect when a low carbohydrate diet is fed but reduces postprandial glucose concentrations over 24 h when a high carbohydrate diet is fed. However, mean glucose concentrations over 24 h are still higher when a high carbohydrate diet with acarbose is fed relative to the low carbohydrate diet without acarbose. Future studies in diabetic cats are warranted to confirm these findings.