The efficacy of insulin in stimulating whole-body glucose disposal (insulin
sensitivity) was quantified using direct methodology in thirty lacto-ovo v
egetarians and in thirty meat-eaters. All subjects were adult, lean (BMI <
23 kg/m(2)), healthy and glucose tolerant. Lacto-ovo vegetarians were more
insulin sensitive than meat-eaters, with a steady-state plasma glucose (mmo
l/l) of 4.1 (95 % CI 3.5, 5.0) v. 6.9 (95 % CI 5.2, 7.5; P=0.0028) respecti
vely. In addition, lacto-ovo vegetarians had lower body Fe stores, as indic
ated by a serum ferritin concentration (mug/l) of 35 (95 % CI 21, 49) compa
red with 72 (95 % CI 45, 100) for meat-eaters (P=0.0012). To test whether o
r not Fe status might modulate insulin sensitivity, body Fe was lowered by
phlebotomy in six male meat-eaters to levels similar to that seen in vegeta
rians, with a resultant approximately 40 % enhancement of insulin-mediated
glucose disposal (P=0.0008). Our results demonstrate that lacto-ovo vegetar
ians are more insulin sensitive and have lower Fe stores than meat-eaters.
In addition, it seems that reduced insulin sensitivity in meat-eaters is am
enable to improvement by reducing body Fe. The latter finding is in agreeme
nt with results from animal studies where, no matter how induced, Fe deplet
ion consistently enhanced glucose disposal.