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Glycemic response to 24-hour fast in normal children: III. Influence of age
Insights
Children
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Research
Background:
- Fasting impacts metabolic regulation in children.
- Understanding age-related changes in metabolic response to fasting is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between age and metabolic markers during a 24-hour fast in children.
- To assess how carbohydrate metabolism and lipolysis change with age during fasting.
Main Methods:
- A 24-hour fast was conducted in 28 healthy children (ages 2-17).
- Blood samples were analyzed for blood glucose, growth hormone (GH), cortisol, free fatty acids (FFA), and alanine.
- Statistical analysis correlated these markers with participant age.
Main Results:
- Blood glucose levels showed a positive correlation with age.
- Plasma cortisol, GH, and FFA levels were negatively correlated with age.
- Serum alanine levels strongly correlated with age and blood glucose.
Conclusions:
- Carbohydrate regulation during fasting improves with age in children.
- This improvement is linked to increased gluconeogenic substrates and reduced lipolysis as children get older.
Abstract:
A 24-hour fast was performed in 28 normal children-17 boys and 11 girls, 2 to 17 years of age. After the fast, blood was drawn for blood sugar, plasma growth hormone and cortisol, serum free fatty acids and alanine measurements. Blood sugar values ranged between 30 and 77 mg/dl and were significantly correlated to age (R = 0.68, P less than 0.001). Plasma cortisol (R = 0.73, P less than 0.001), GH (R = 0.57, P = 0.01), and FFA (R = 0.76, P less than 0.001) were negatively correlated to age. Serum alanine fasting values ranged between 10 and 36 micrometer/dl and were significantly correlated to age (R = 0.86, P less than 0.001) and to blood sugar values (R = 0.54, P less than 0.01). These data demonstrate that carbohydrate regulation during fast improves with age in children, correlating with higher levels of gluconeogenic substrates and a lower rate of lipolysis.