{"id":9959,"date":"2010-08-30T03:52:06","date_gmt":"2010-08-30T07:52:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=9959"},"modified":"2015-12-27T15:48:04","modified_gmt":"2015-12-27T20:48:04","slug":"still-hungry-the-mixed-meal-tolerance-test-leaves-something-to-be-desired","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=9959","title":{"rendered":"Still Hungry: The Mixed Meal Tolerance Test leaves something to be desired"},"content":{"rendered":"

As I have previously discussed, I am participating in the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Encore study, which is an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody clinical trial<\/a> that is trying to prove the effectiveness of an investigational drug called teplizumab.\u00a0 We all know that type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where autoantibodies are attacking and killing off the body\u2019s pancreatic beta cells.\u00a0 Among other things, beta cells produce insulin, so damaged beta cells lead to decreased levels of insulin production\u2026 which leads to a diabetes diagnosis.\u00a0 I enrolled in the Prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Encore study and got a nice, long infusion of this drug, teplizumab, so (hopefully!) my body is now doing things a little differently.\u00a0 As my study doctor explained to me, teplizumab acts as a body builder standing outside of a restaurant where autoantibodies hang out.\u00a0 As the autoantibodies walk out of this restaurant, the body builder steps out of the dark alley and knocks out the autoantibodies.\u00a0 They are not dead; they eventually wake up and wander \u201chome,\u201d back to their usual hang-out spots.\u00a0 They go back to doing the beta cell killing they were doing before, but because of the harsh blow from Body Builder Teplizumab, it takes them about a year to fully return to work.<\/p>\n

\n

In order to test the effectiveness of this drug, I go to the hospital on a regular basis for check-ups and blood draws.\u00a0 The lead doctor for this study monitors the levels of all kinds of things in my blood, but the thing <\/em>that is perhaps most telling is the level of something called C-peptide<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0My understanding is that C-peptide<\/a> is some kind of substance that is left over after your body\u2019s insulin is produced and used.\u00a0 C-peptide is only created and left over by \u201creal,\u201d self-made insulin; not the kind that I squirt into my abdomen.\u00a0 Doctors love to look at this, therefore, because it is one tell-tale sign of insulin production.<\/p>\n

\n

For each of my follow-up visits since I had the infusion back in May, I participate in a blood draw and occasionally some additional procedure.\u00a0 Coming up for my October visit, I will have a Mixed Meal Tolerance Test. \u00a0(Other asweetlife.org contributors have already covered the MMTT experience<\/a>.) \u00a0The MMTT consists of drinking a breakfast shake (I hope it\u2019s chocolate!) in a matter of minutes, and then sitting in a chair while the hospital staff documents my blood sugar levels every 15 to 30 minutes.\u00a0 It\u2019s a mixed meal<\/em>, you see, meaning it\u2019s not just glucose that they\u2019re pumping into you; it\u2019s a breakfast shake.\u00a0 It\u2019s full of things other than glucose, such as:\u00a0 Water, sugar, corn syrup solids, milk protein concentrate, vegetable oil (canola, high oleic sunflower, corn oils) and less than 0.5% of soy lecithin, carrageenan, salt, natural and artificial flavor, vitamin A palmitate, beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, vitamin D3, vitamin E acetate, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, niacinamide, vitamin B6 hydrochloride, folic acid, choline bitartrate, vitamin B12, biotin, calcium pantothenate, vitamin K1, calcium carbonate, ferrous sulfate, potassium iodide, magnesium phosphate, zinc sulfate, cupric sulfate, potassium citrate, potassium chloride, sodium selenite, chromic chloride, sodium molybdate, manganese sulfate<\/em>.\u00a0 You know, like the ingredients that make up a basic meal.\u00a0 A basic meal, that is, if you happen to like drinking an unsatisfying breakfast shake\u2014and nothing else\u2014for the first four hours of your day.<\/p>\n

\n

\n

(Even this image gives way too much credit to the breakfast shake I will be drinking.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

The doctors leading the study don\u2019t really care about how full I feel, though, I suppose.\u00a0 They care about how my body responds to this \u201cmeal.\u201d\u00a0 They care about blood sugar levels and C-peptide levels and whatever other information they can gather from my blood.<\/p>\n

\n

I\u2019ll let you know how it goes.\u00a0 Maybe they\u2019ll let me fill out a comment card this time.\u00a0 For now, I suggest you stick to your high-protein, complex carb breakfasts of champions.<\/p>\n

\n

\n

P.S.\u00a0 Please feel free to comment with your questions and corrections! <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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