Early insulin release and its response to potassium supplementation in protein-calorie malnutrition.

Early insulin release after oral glucose is absent in protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM). There is an increase of the insulin-glucose ratio at 10 and 15 min induced by potassium supplementation compared to a similar group receiving an identical diet without supplementary potassium. This suggests that impaired insulin secretion in PMC is in part due to a potassium mediated disturbance of insulin release.