Diurnal variation in glucose and leucine metabolism in non-insulin-dependent diabetes.

Glucose and leucine metabolism were investigated in 5 poorly controlled non-insulin-dependent diabetics (NIDDM) following an i.v. injection of 3-[3H]glucose and 1-[14C]leucine in the morning and evening. In the morning glucose concentration (11.2 +/- 0.8 mmol/l) (mean +/- SEM) and production rate (14.2 +/- 1.3 mumol/min/kg) were significantly greater (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.05) and glucose metabolic clearance rate (MCR) (1.3 +/- 0.2 ml/min/kg) significantly lower (P less than 0.05) than in a group of control subjects. Glucose concentration was lower in the evening (P less than 0.05) as a result of a decrease in glucose production rate (P less than 0.05). Leucine concentration and production rate were not significantly different from normal but leucine oxidation rate was increased (P less than 0.05). There was no diurnal variation in leucine metabolism. Since leucine production is a measure of protein breakdown, the higher morning glucose production rate was not due to an increased supply of gluconeogenic precursors from protein catabolism.