Effects of D-glucose anomers on sweetness taste and insulin release in man

Insulin release was examined in human subjects after lingual applications of D-glucose and its anomers. A dose-dependent increase in the insulin release was noted following the application of equilibrated D-glucose consisting of 36% alpha- and 64% beta-anomer. The response was not reproduced after administration of atropine. The magnitude of insulin release produced by alpha-anomer was different from that induced by beta-anomer in men who could not differentiate between sweetness of the two anomers. Results indicate that recognition of sweetness in the cortex is unrelated to the insulin response, and suggest that a subcortical mechanism may detect qualitative differences in taste and produce the oral phase of insulin secretion via vagus action in humans.