Prevention of the incidence of diabetes by dietary sorbose in nonobese diabetic mice

The effect of dietary sorbose on the prevention of the incidence of diabetes in the nonobese diabetic mouse was investigated in animals from 5 to 11 wk of age. When sucrose (200 g/kg diet) in the control diet was replaced by sorbose, body weight was significantly reduced. The blood glucose level also was lowered in mice fed sorbose, but the serum insulin level was unchanged. Glucose was not detected in the urine of mice fed the sorbose diet during the experiment, but some mice in the control group excreted glucose in urine. Relative weights of the heart, liver and left kidney were significantly higher in mice fed the sorbose diet vs. those fed the control diet. The results suggest that dietary sorbose would benefit patients with diabetes by lowering blood glucose and inhibiting urinary glucose excretion.