The ageing entero-insular axis.

Ageing is one of the major risk factors for glucose intolerance including impaired glucose tolerance and Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. Reduced insulin secretion has been described as part of normal ageing although there is no information on age-related changes in the secretion of the major insulinotropic hormones, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide (7-36 amide) (GLP-1). We assessed the entero-insular axis in 6 young premenopausal and 6 older postmenopausal women following treatment with oral carbohydrate. Insulin and glucose integrated responses were similar in the younger and older groups. Total integrated responses for GIP and GLP-1 were considerably greater in the older subjects. A positive correlation between age and total integrated responses for glucose (r = 0.65; p < 0.02) as well as GLP-1 (r = 0.85; p < 0.001) was seen. We hypothesise that an age-related impairment of insulin secretion to insulinotropic hormones, GIP and GLP-1, contributes to a reduction in glucose tolerance in this age group. The pronounced compensatory increase in postprandial secretion of GIP and GLP-1 provides further evidence not only for the negative feedback relation between incretin and insulin secretion but also for the importance of the entero-insular axis in the regulation of insulin secretion.