THE EFFECT OF PECTIN ON THE GASTRIC-EMPTYING RATES AND BLOOD-GLUCOSE LEVELS AFTER A TEST MEAL

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of pectin given in a pa latable form on the gastric emptying rates of the solid and liquid pha ses of a test meal and to ascertain whether pectin affected blood gluc ose levels in ten healthy male and female volunteers. Gastric emptying was measured using dual isotope gamma scintigraphy. Allocation to the treatment group was double-blind and randomized. Sequential blood sam pling was used to measure blood glucose levels. The times for the stom ach to empty half the radiolabelled meal were similar after both pecti n and placebo; however, a significant difference was seen between the AUC values of the meal between the two treatments. This can be attribu ted to the divergence of the emptying curves after the time point at w hich 50% of the meal had emptied, as pectin delayed the emptying of th e last 20% of the meal. The initial phase of emptying for both pectin and placebo was significantly faster than the meal. No significant dif ference was found between blood glucose levels when either pectin or p lacebo was administered.