Abstract
Objectives: CPR (C-peptide) is released at the same time insulin is produced from a large molecule. We measured the CPR level to see if insulin had actually been released, and also to see how much insulin had been produced after masticating gum base.
Methods: The number of subjects is 19. After they fasted from bedtime till the morning of the trial day, they were instructed to chew the gum base for 15 minutes at 60 strokes/min. We performed a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). In order to measure immunoreactive insulin, C-peptide and glucose, blood samples were drawn before chewing, and also 15, 30, 60 and 120 min after the OGTT. We made the same examination two weeks after with the same subjects, except that they did not masticate any gum base for the second time.
Results and Conclusion: CPR showed the maximum value at 30 min after the OGTT in the gummasticating group and at 60 min after the OGTT in the non-gum masticating group. Blood glucose increased less rapidly in the gum-masticating group than the non-gum masticating group, and the rapid rise of the blood sugar level was suppressed. These results suggest that oral sensory stimulation, such as masticating, can be a stimulus to the activity of the pancreas beta cells. Mastication can control blood glucose level as well as it can prevent over-eating.
