Less pronounced changes in serum potassium and epinephrine during hypoglycemia induced by human insulin (recombinant...

Human insulin (recombinant DNA) and purified porcine insulin were compared in healthy men. Intravenous insulin tolerance tests showed identical effects on plasma glucose when a bolus of 0.1 U/kg was injected. Following human insulin, hypokalemia and epinephrine secretion were significantly less pronounced. The differences in serum potassium concentrations are caused by a lower epinephrine response to hypoglycemia induced by human insulin in comparison to purified porcine insulin.