The metabolism of carbohydrate after starvation

Abstract

have reopened the question of the intolerance to carbohydrate which follows a period of starvation. The phenomenon has been examined by one of us The possible causes of this have been discussed by various authors. Thus, Brailsford Robertson [1923] suggested that the period of starvation was asso- ciated with a diminished secretion of insulin, so that the intensive adminis- tration of glucose found the mechanism for control of blood-sugar temporarily ineffective. Other workers have taken the view that it is due to the appearance of ketosis or to the tendency to acidosis. The fact, however, that the pheno- menon is easily demonstrable in animals which do not develop a ketosis during starvation seems to rule out effectively its attribution to this cause. To show that the tendency to acidosis might be responsible, attempts have been made to readjust the disturbed mechanism by the administration of alkalis.