Effect of refeeding after starvation on basal and tolbutamide-stimulated insulin secretion and beta-adrenergic receptor function in the regulation of insulin release and lipolysis in obese patients.

Serum insulin, blood glucose and plasma free fatty acids (FFA) were determined in 14 subjects with a simple obesity under basal conditions and during the tests with tolbutamide, propranolol and epinephrine before and after fasting of 14 days duration, on restricted diet of 1300 kcal. After refeeding some changes in pancreatic B cells reactivity and an altered metabolic responsiveness to epinephrine and propranolol were found as compared to prefasting values. It may be concluded that after refeeding a further increment of beta-adrenergic function seems to contribute to accelerated lipid mobilisation and partly to increased insulin secretion.