The effect of cigarette smoking on blood sugar, serum insulin and non esterified fatty acids in diabetic and non diabetic subjects.

The effect of cigarette smoking on carbohydrate metabolism has been investigated in 10 diabetic and 18 non-diabetic subjects. All were habitual smokers. Neither the fasting plasma sugar nor the plasma sugar response to an oral glucose load was significantly altered by smoking. Serum insulin, free fatty acids, cholesterol and triglyceride were measured in 10 non-diabetic patients, and were not significantly altered by smoking. It is concluded that in habitual smokers at least, cigarette smoking does not impair carbohydrate metabolism. In addition, it seems that smoking before or during oral glucose tolerance test is unlikely to influence the diagnostic value of the test.