Shivering thermogenesis and glucose uptake by muscles of normal or diabetic rats

Acute cold exposure of normal rats (4 degrees C for 24 h) increased food intake, reduced plasma glucose and liver glycogen, caused a small increase in plasma free fatty acids, and lowered serum insulin concentration by 50%. In fasted rats, cold raised fatty acid levels twice as high as in fed. In mild diabetes (40 mg/kg streptozotocin iv) cold reduced glucose levels in blood and urine, but in severe diabetes (90 mg/kg) cold aggravated hyperglycemia and ketonuria. Changes in muscle glucose utilization were also studied, after evisceration (functional hepatectomy) of rats from each group. Uptake was calculated from the fall in plasma glucose concentration during the 4-h period after a load of 50% glucose iv. Cold normally increased uptake 67%, but it failed to do so in fasted rats. In diabetic rats, cold enhanced uptake, but only if the disease were mild or insulin controlled. Sensitivity of uptake to insulin was unaffected by cold. The results suggest that shivering thermogenesis, like exercise, can promote glucose uptake by skeletal muscle, if enough insulin is present to prevent excess mobilization of lipid substrates.