Evaluation of role of concentration and molecular weight of oat beta-glucan in determining effect of viscosity on plasma glucose and insulin following an oral glucose load

Data from clinical studies established that there was an inverse linear rel ationship between measures of postprandial blood glucose and insulin respon ses to an oral glucose load, consumed in a drink, and the logarithm of visc osity of the drink. These data have been re-analysed using concentration an d molecular weight as the dependent variables. Molecular weight (M) of the beta-glucans used was determined using high-performance size exclusion chro matography equipped with a triple detector system of right angle light scat tering, viscometry and refractive index. A significant relationship between changes in peak blood glucose and a combination of logarithm of the concen tration and logarithm of M was found.