420 



Relation of Saks to Carbohydrate Metabolism 



and go mg. per cent and hypoglycemic convulsions ceased, when he was placed 

 on a low-Na high-K regimen (24 to 48 gm. KCl daily) for a few days only. When 

 the KCl was finally refused by the patient because it produced gastric distress, 

 the hypoglycemia and convulsions promptly recurred (McQuarrie and co- 

 workers^"). 



Attempts by the author and his associates to investigate the influence of 

 varying the oral intake of Na and K on carbohydrate metabolism in depan- 

 creatized and in adrenalectomized dogs did not meet with a high degree of 



10 I"? 20 



of cxpcrimc 



n t 



No CI intake 



kCI intake 



Fig. 2. Antagonistic effects of Na and K on glycosuria and on blood sugar (Bl. Gl.) in dia- 

 betics. Note effectiveness of NaCl in mild diabetic (D.R. exper. D) without insulin. NaCl and 

 KCl Avere fed during different periods in experiments D and E. When given simultaneously 

 with NaCl (exper. F), KCl abolished effects of the Na salt. 



success because of difficulties involved in making such animals eat the experi- 

 mental diet with the extra salt added or in making them retain the same when 

 given by stomach tube. Ziegler and the author^ studied the effects of Na and 

 K salts in moderate amounts on the glycosuria and hypoglycemia of phloridzin 

 poisoning in four normal adult dogs. No significant effects were demonstrated. 

 In the normal fasting dog, however, continuous administration of KCl was 

 found to impede the development of insulin hypoglycemia (McQuarrie and 

 co-workers^). 



Since the foregoing studies concerning the antagonistic effects of Na and 

 K on carbohydrate metabolism in diabetes were first reported, a number of 

 publications bearing on some phase of the subject have appeared in the litera- 

 ture. Although a few workers have obtained somewhat equivocal results, most 

 of them have directly or indirectly supported the conclusion that a high-Na 

 low-K regimen increases carbohydrate utilization. McLean^^ and Wilder'" con- 

 firmed the beneficial effects in adult diabetics. The former gave a patient with 

 relative insensitivity to insulin (attributable to infected gangrene of the foot) 

 40 gm. of NaCl after each of three meals daily. As a result the patient experi- 



