CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM AFTER EPINEPHRINE, GLUCOSE AND STRESS IN YOUNG AND OLD RATS

After administration of 10 mu g of adrenaline/100 g b.w. the increase in glucose of pyruvic and lactic acid in the blood of young, matured and old rats is the same. After trauma in the Noble-Collip drum, glycaemia increases, liver glycogen and vitamin C in the adrenals decreases equally in young and old animals. In old animals, however, the pyruvic and lactic acid in blood increase more. The decreased carbohydrate tolerance in old rats can be found only after the second glucose load. The simultaneous rise in blood pyruvate supports that this could affect the exhaustion of the capacity to secrete insulin in old animals. After stress produced by a sterile abscess the carbohydrate tolerance in old animals deteriorates even after the first glucose load. As old animals have a higher blood pyruvate, it seems that in this case the aerobic processes of glycolysis are disturbed, possibly by the increased sensitivity of old animals to glycocorticoids.