The effect of kind of carbohydrate in the diet and use of oral contraceptives on metabolism of young women. III. Serum glucose, insulin, and glucagon.

Responses of glucose, insulin, and glucagon in serum to a sucrose load dose of young women taking oral contraceptives (OC) were compared to responses to the load dose of women who had never taken OC. Two experimental diets contained about 13% of the calories from protein, 36% from fat, and 51% from carbohydrate. Of the carbohydrate 84% was either sucrose of wheat starch. The diets were fed in a crossover design. Subjects were fed a sucrose load (1 g/kg) before and after weeks 1 and 3 of each dietary period. Parameters were measured in blood drawn before and 30, 60, 120, and 180 min after the meal. Levels of serum glucagon and responses of serum glucose and insulin to sucrose load were significantly higher in OC users than in controls. Glucose and insulin rose significantly after the sucrose load. Time significantly affected glucose and insulin. The OC-time interaction also was significant for glucose and insulin levels. The OC users generally had higher peak levels of glucose and insulin and took longer to return to fasting levels than did the controls. After 3 weeks on the diet, the glucose and insulin responses of the OC users, but not of the controls, were significantly greater on the sucrose than on the starch diet. The response of the insulin/glucagon ratio to the sucrose load was not significantly affected by the OC use.