Effects of a sympathetic activation by lower body negative pressure on glucose and lipid metabolism

The effects of a sympathetic activation elicited by a lower body negative pressure (LBNP) (at -15 mmHg for 75 min) were assessed in 7 healthy subjects on two occasions: (i) in post-absorptive conditions, and (ii) during glucose infusion (22.2 mumol kg-1 min-1). LBNP increased plasma norepinephrine concentration and heart rate. It did not alter whole-body glucose metabolism (measured with [6,6-2H]glucose) and glycerol turnover (measured with [1,1,2,3,3-2H]glycerol). Interstitial glycerol concentrations were monitored with microdialysis in subcutaneous adipose tissue and in skeletal muscle. LBNP increased dialysate glycerol concentrations in muscle by 16% (P < 0.03) but not in adipose tissue in post-absorptive conditions, and by 37% in adipose tissue (P < 0.05) but not in muscle during glucose infusion. These results indicate that an LBNP-induced sympathetic activation (i) does not increase endogenous glucose production, and (ii) induces only a slight stimulation of lipolysis in adipose tissue during glucose infusion.