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Insulin Action Does Not Change During the Menstrual Cycle in Normal Women^*

E. L. TOTH, A. SUTHIJUMROON, P. M. CROCKFORD and E. A. RYAN

Department of Medicine, University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G3

Address requests for reprints to: Dr. E. A. Ryan, 7–117 Clinical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G3.

Normal women have alterations in carbohydrate metabolism during pregnancy and when taking oral contraceptives, and clinical observations suggest that diabetic women need more insulin during menstruation. We, therefore, studied insulin action in normal women during the menstrual cycle in the follicular, luteal, and menstrual phases. Glucose tolerance was similar at all three times. Specific insulin receptor binding to monocytes did not change during the menstrual cycle. Euglycemic insulin clamp studies at four different insulin infusion rates (15, 40, 120, and 240 mU/M²·min) showed no differences in insulin sensitivity or responsiveness throughout the menstrual cycle, and hepatic glucose output did not change. These studies suggest that if insulin action is impaired during menstruation in diabetic women it is because of factors that are not detected in normal women.

^* This work was supported by a Pilot Project Grant from the Muttart Diabetes Research and Training Centre and funding from the Edmonton branch, Canadian Diabetes Association.

Clinical Investigator of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research.

Received April 7, 1986.

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