Effect of a ketoacid diet on glucose tolerance and tissue insulin sensitivity.

Effects of a low protein (0.3 g/kg/day) diet on glucose tolerance and tissue insulin sensitivity were studied in 25 non-diabetic and eight insulin-dependent diabetic uremic patients before and three months after dietary treatment. Carbohydrates accounted for 65% of the caloric intake in the first group and 57% in the second. In the first group, a 50 g oral glucose tolerance test showed that after three months blood glucose was significantly reduced at T60 (P less than 0.05) and serum insulin at T0, T30 (P less than 0.05) and T60 (P less than 0.02). Ten patients of the first group underwent an euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamp study; the tissue sensitivity to insulin index of all three clamp periods improved (P less than 0.01 for the first and second, P less than 0.02 for the third). Five patients in the second group underwent a euglycemic clamp study; glucose metabolism increased with each clamp period. Concomitantly, their daily insulin requirements decreased from 37.2 +/- 3.1 to 24.8 +/- 2.7 U/day (P less than 0.05). This conspicuous improvement observed in both groups might be related to a decrease in uremic toxin(s) derived from protein intake. Beneficial results on atherosclerosis and cardiovascular pathology may occur from the reduction of hyperinsulinism.