Ec. Ezenwaka et al., INSULIN RESPONSES FOLLOWING GLUCOSE-ADMINISTRATION IN MENSTRUATING WOMEN, International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics, 42(2), 1993, pp. 155-159
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate changes in insulin
sensitivity during the menstrual cycle, in a group of regularly menstr
uating black African women. METHOD: Insulin responses to intravenous g
lucose (300 mg/kg) were assessed, for up to 3 h, in 3 groups of age- a
nd body mass-matched non-obese sedentary Nigerian women: Group A, 7 wo
men in the menstrual follicular phase; Group B, 7 women in the menstru
al luteal phase; C, 7 men. RESULT: Women in the menstrual luteal phase
had the greatest integrated first-phase insulin response and insulin/
glucose ratios, much higher than the similar values for these variable
s obtained in other groups. This suggests that the menstrual luteal ph
ase is associated with relative insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: Black
African women in the menstrual luteal phase demonstrate an exaggerated
insulin response to an acute glucose load and are thus relatively ins
ulin-insensitive. This confirms previous observations in Caucasians.