Abstract

Following the administration of dihydroxyacetone there is a temporary increase in the carbon dioxide production and a secondary increase in the oxygen consumption, as has been shown by others as well as ourselves (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). In some respects the results differ from those following glucose administration. The increase in CO2 occurs more sharply, that of oxygen gradually, but at the end of four hours the average oxygen consumption approximates that of the preliminary control period in both cases. The so-called respiratory quotient becomes very high (1.0 to 1.31) on account of the increased CO2 elimination and this has been interpreted as indicating a differ- ence in the metabolism of the triose (increased combustion) as com- pared with glucose and has been advanced as evidence that dihydroxyacetone is metabolized more readily than glucose and is, therefore, more suitable for the treatment of diabetics than glucose itself.