Influence of carbohydrate intake soon plasma sorbitol concentration in normal subjects

Nine healthy volunteers received either a normal diet or an isocaloric diet of which the carbohydrate content was reduced to 5% of the total caloric intake. Within 2 days of administration of the carbohydrate-poor diet, the concentration of sorbitol in plasma was decreased by 1.6 +/- 0.2 microM below the initial value (4.1 +/- 0.4 microM). When the subjects were returned to the normal diet, a reascension in plasma sorbitol concentration ws observed within 1 or 2 days. It is proposed tht, in normal subjects, the sorbitol concentration in plasma depends on and can be used as an indication of the carbohydrate intake.