Effect of ketone body infusion on plasma catecholamine and substrate concentrations during acute hypoglycemia in man.

Experimental studies have shown that ketone body infusion inhibits the catecholamine response to hypoglycemia. We have studied six men during insulin-induced hypoglycemia who were concomitantly infused with saline or 3-hydroxybutyrate at dose rates of 4 and 13 mg/kg.min. The mean blood concentrations of 3-hydroxybutyrate increased to about 0.45 and 3 mmol/liter, respectively. The results show that the glucose response to insulin; hypoglycemic symptoms; and the adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol responses to hypoglycemia were not influenced by ketone infusion at any dose rate.