Age-dependent glucose tolerance in young rats under normal conditions and under glucocorticoid administration

The dynamics of rapid intravenous glucose tolerance in 15-, 20- and 25-day-old young Wistar rats was studied under basal conditions as well as under hydrocortisone hemisuccinate administration (0.5 mg/100 g, b.w., i.p.). It was found that in basal conditions the rate of glucose assimilation increased with the age of animals. On the other hand, a parallelism between age and the rapid antiinsulin effect of hydrocortisone upon the glucose tolerance was revealed. The conclusion was drawn that the age of baby rats plays a major conditioning role in the rapid antiinsulin effect of glucocorticoid excess in the assimilation of blood glucose.