Counter regulation of basal insulin secretion during alcohol hypoglycemia in hypercalcemic and normocalcemic man

In seven normocalcemic subjects, fasted for 48 hours, alcohol hypoglycemia has been accompanied by a significant decline in basal insulin secretion. In another six healthy subjects, fasted for two days, infusion of calcium also induced a significant fall in basal secretion of insulin. However, when six healthy volunteers, fasted for two days, were infused with calcium and given alcohol simultaneously, no significant fall in insulin was recorded, even though the hypoglycemia, following this combined load, was of the same magnitude as in the subjects given alcohol alone. The implications of these findings are discussed.