Effect of guar intake on plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity in diabetic patients

Addition of diet fiber to meals is reported to result in significant reduction of postprandial glucose levels in diabetic patients as well as in normal subjects. In the present study effect of guar intake (12 g) on plasma somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SRIF-LI) was studied in non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM) and in insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM) to see if somatostatin plays a role in reducing postprandial glucose. In 6 of 7 normal controls plasma SRIF-LI increased and reached a maximum at 30 min after guar intake. In 5 of 7 NIDDM patients SRIF-LI reached a maximum at 90 min after guar intake, while in five IDDM patients SRIF-LI significantly decreased through 120 min after guar intake. These results suggest the possibility that guar induced somatostatin secretion contributes to reduction of postprandial glucose levels at least in NIDDM patients as well as in normal subjects, for somatostatin is reported to inhibit glucose uptake from gastrointestinal tract.