The effect of metformin on individual amino acid absorption
Ismail, A.A.; Badrawi, H.; Nasr, S.; Khater, R.; Hafez, A.A.; El-Kirdassy, Z.H.; Mansour, M.S.
Journal of the Egyptian Medical Association 61(9-10): 673-692
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0013-2411 PMID: 262252 Document Number: 137045
Twelve normal subjects and 12 maturity-onset diabetics were each given 250 g skimmed milk cheese after an overnight fast. Their blood was examined for total and individual amino acids while fasting and 3 and 7 h after the protein meal. The effect of 1.5 g metformin by mouth daily for 3 days on the blood amino acids was also tested. The diabetics had what might be considered a specific fasting aminogram, with glutamic acid, proline, tyrosine, alanine and phenylalanine values above normal. Metformin in the normal subjects impaired the absorption of all amino acids except tryptophan, phenylalanine and leucine-isoleucine. In the diabetics metformin decreased the fasting values of alanine, tyrosine, proline and phenylalanine and increased the absorption of alanine, proline, tyrosine and leucine-isoleucine.