Inhibition of gastric acid secretion elicited by D-glucose anomers in man.

Acid outputs from the stomach were measured after venous administration of D-glucose and its optical anomers in men with insulin hypoglycemia. A significant decrease in gastric acid output was noted after the administration of 277 mM alpha-D-glucose, 277 mM optically equilibrated D-glucose consisting of 36% alpha-anomer and 64% beta-anomer, or 277 mM beta-D-glucose. The effect of beta-D-glucose was most potent in the three forms of D-glucose. NaCl solution, however, produced no appreciable change in the acid outputs. Our findings suggested that, in humans, beta-D-glucose in the blood may play an important role in the activation of glucose-sensitive mechanisms controlling vagally mediated secretion of gastric acid.