Overnutrition induced decrease in insulin action for glucose storage: in vivo and in vitro in man.

The effect of short-term overnutrition on insulin action for glucose disposal was assessed in 15 Southwest American Indians (mean wt = 74 +/- 6 kg). After two weeks of weight maintenance and again after two weeks of 62% greater caloric intake (constant ratio of fat:carbohydrate:protein), insulin action for glucose disposal was measured using the euglycemic clamp technique with plasma insulin concentrations of about 110 and 1800 uU/mL. Simultaneous indirect calorimetry was used to estimate carbohydrate oxidation and storage rates. Following overnutrition, mean weight gain was 3.0 +/- 0.2 kg, P less than 0.01. Overnutrition induced a decrease in glucose storage at the low and high insulin concentrations: 1.2 +/- 0.3 to 0.2 +/- 0.3, P less than 0.01, and 6.4 +/- 0.3 to 4.3 +/- 0.5, mg/kg FFM min, P less than 0.001. Carbohydrate oxidation was significantly increased at both insulin concentrations. The mean total insulin mediated glucose disposal rate decreased from 11.6 +/- 0.5 to 10.3 +/- 0.7, P less than 0.01, at the high insulin concentration. This decrease was due entirely to the reduction in carbohydrate storage and was correlated with increased fasting insulin concentration (r = 0.7, P less than 0.01). Overnutrition also induced a significant decrease in the percent muscle glycogen synthase active measured fasting and at the end of the high-dose insulin infusion. The results indicate that short-term overnutrition results in reduced insulin action for glucose storage and disposal which is correlated with increased fasting insulin concentrations. Reduced glycogen synthase activity may contribute to the effect of overnutrition on in vivo insulin-mediated glucose storage.