Comparing glucose and insulin data from the two-hour oral glucose tolerance test in metabolic syndrome subjects and marathon runners

Abstract

Glucose is the main energy source of the body's cells and is essential for normal metabolism. Two pancreatic hormones, insulin and glucagon, are involved in glucose home-ostasis. Alteration in the plasma glucose and insulin concentrations could lead to distinct symptoms and diseases, ranging from mental function impairment to coma and even death. Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome are typical examples of abnormal glucose metabolism that increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is a medical test used to screen for prediabetes, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. In the 5-sample 2-hour OGTT, plasma glucose and insulin concentrations are measured after a fast and then after oral intake of glucose, at intervals of 30 minutes. In this work, a statistical analysis is carried out to find significant differences between the five stages of the OGTT for plasma glucose and insulin data. In addition, the behavior of the glucose and insulin data is compared between subjects with the metabolic syndrome and marathon runners. Results show that marathon runners have plasma glucose and insulin levels significantly lower (p < 0.05) than people with the metabolic syndrome in all the stages of the OGTT. Insulin secretion decreases in marathon runners due to a significant reduction in plasma glucose concentration, but insulin secretion does not decrease in metabolic syndrome subjects due to insulin resistance, consequently plasma glucose concentration does not achieve normal levels.