EFFECTS OF ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF ERYTHRITOL ON PATIENTS WITH DIABETES

Erythritol (20 g in solution) was administered orally in a single-dose to 5 patients with diabetes. Serum erythritol levels reached a peak 1 hr after administration and then declined rapidly. Total urinary excr etion was 82.0 +/- 3.7% within 24 hr and 88.5 +/- 3.3% within 72 hr. S erum glucose and insulin levels remained unchanged until a meal was ta ken (3 hr after erythritol administration) and then increased. Free fa tty acids and 3-hydroxybutyric acid levels increased after erythritol administration but dropped after ingestion of food. In a separate clin ical trial, erythritol (20 g) was administered orally daily for 14 day s to 11 patients with diabetes. Mean serum glucose and hemoglobin Ale levels decreased over the time period. Indices of renal function-blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and beta(2)-microglobulin-did not change s ignificantly. The single dose study suggests that erythritol exerts no significant effects on the metabolism of diabetic patients. Two-week daily administration of erythritol had no adverse effect on blood gluc ose control. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.