Fifty-three elderly non-diabetic volunteers aged 85 to 96 years were studied when they had reached their pre-admission health state before their discharge from the acute assessment wards of a Geriatric Unit. Blood sugar levels and their corresponding plasma insulin levels were estimated after a 50 g glucose load. Thirty-four patients had normal curves, thirteen had an abnormal 2h. Blood sugar over 120 mg/100 ml and six (all women) had two or more abnormal levels. Carbohydrate intolerance was not related to age, obesity or a positive family history. The results were compared to two groups of young controls, viz nineteen healthy post partum women mean age 29.9 yrs, and twenty-one healthy women mean age 52 years, admitted for investigation of post menopausal bleeding. With increasing age, the peak levels of glucose and insulin are delayed and when carbohydrate intolerance develops the rate of insulin secretion remains the same. The glucose and insulin values closely follow each other and there is no suggestion that insulin secretion is reduced with age. In fact the elderly diabetic shows increased insulin secretion suggesting insulin antagonism or inactivity unrelated to obesity.
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