Hypoglycaemia and food intake in rats given graduated doses of insulin.

Hypoglycaemia of varying duration was induced with graduated doses of long-acting insulin (10, 40 and 160 U/kg b.w.) in young, growing (8- to 10-week-old) male Wistar rats fed ad libitum on two different diets. In all, 6 doses of insulin were administered, at 48-hour intervals. The blood glucose level and food consumption were determined 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after injecting the insulin. Both the hypoglycaemic effect and elevated food intake during hypoglycaemia depended on the dose of insulin and not on the type of diet. Total food consumption during the experiment (12 days) was markedly raised only in the groups given the maximum dose of insulin (160 U/kg b.w.). The weight gain in all the experimental groups was lower than in the control groups and food consumption per weight gain unit was higher.