After ingestion or intravenous infusion of a nutrient, the energy expenditure increases. This nutrient-induced thermogenesis represents 6 to 8% of the energy infused when glucose is infused with insulin (glucose clamp technique) to healthy subjects. At physiological plasma insulin levels (i.e. below 200 μU/ml), glucose induced thermogenesis (GIT) was 6%, whereas at supraphysiological levels (i.e. > 400 μU/ml) GIT was 8 % of the energy content of glucose infused. This thermogenic response to glucose infusion includes two components: An “obligatory thermogenesis” which accounts for the energy cost of storing the nutrient and a “facultative thermogenesis” which is mainly due to a stimulation of sympathetic activity. The thermogenic response to lipid infusion (Intralipid 20%) was 2 to 3% of the energy infused. The stimulation of energy expenditure following amino acid infusion has been studied less in healthy subjects; in depleted patients, the thermogenic response to amino acids has been evaluated to correspond to about 30 to 40% of the amino acid energy infused. In addition to the concept of the thermogenic response to nutrients, it is of interest to know the cost of nutrient storage; for glucose, it amounted to 12%, for lipid to 4% of the energy stored. It is concluded, that lipid induces a lower thermogenic response and has a smaller cost for storage than glucose. Thus, lipid infusion allows giving energy more efficiently to the patient than large amounts of glucose. In total parenteral nutrition, it is common practice to supply non-protein energy roughly equally between glucose and fat; this is more economical than the infusion of large amounts of glucose.

Keywords:
Glucose, Lipids, Amino acids, Total parenteral nutrition, Energy expenditure
This content is only available via PDF.
© 1984 S. Karger AG, Basel
1984
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.