An interventional study of Glucagon Infusion and Glucose clamp in Glucose Metabolism and Insulin Secretion, sponsored by Nicolai Jacob Wewer Albrechtsen. Completed at 1 site in Denmark. Open to participants aged 25 Years to 70 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-29.
Sponsored by Nicolai Jacob Wewer Albrechtsen · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
In this study the investigators will investigate the glucose-independent effects of exogenous glucagon on insulin secretion and cognitive function in healthy subjects.
Subjects will participate in two study days. The first study day is with a 240-minute infusion of glucagon and the second study day is with an infusion of glucose (clamped to match the glucose levels measured during the glucagon infusion). During the study day, blood samples will be drawn frequently and cognitive testing will be performed.
The investigators will investigate glucagon's glucose-independent effects on insulin secretion and cognitive function by comparing plasma measures of C-peptide and cognitive test scores between the glucagon study day and the glucose clamp study day.
Five-ten subjects with normal health will be included, and each subject will participate in two study days.
Participants will arrive after an overnight fast and will be placed in a hospital bed in a semi-recumbent position. In each antecubital vein an intravenous catheter will be placed; one for administration of glucagon or glucose and one for blood sampling. The first study day will be the glucagon study day. The blood measurements of glucose from the glucagon study day will be used for clamping the glucose levels during the glucose clamp study day.
Baseline blood samples will be drawn. At time 0 minutes the infusion of glucagon or glucose will be initiated. Glucagon will be infused at a rate of 10ng/kg/min. Blood glucose will be measured every five minutes for the first approximately 2.5 hours, and thereafter every 10-15 minutes. During the glucose-clamp study day the infusion rate of glucose will be adjusted continuously to match the glucose levels measured on the glucagon study day.
Blood samples for the analysis of plasma glucagon, insulin, C-peptide etc. will be drawn every five minutes for the first 60 minutes, and thereafter every 15-30 minutes.
After approximately three hours cognitive testing will be performed. After four hours, the infusion of either glucagon or glucose will be terminated. The final blood samples will be drawn 15 and 30 minutes after termination of the infusion.
Nicolai Jacob Wewer Albrechtsen is the lead sponsor of 7 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Cardiac problems including any of the following:
The first study day is a 240 minutes infusion of glucagon (10ng/kg/min). The second study day is a 240 minutes infusion of glucose (20% w/v). The infusion rate of glucose will be adjusted continuously to match the levels of glucose measured on the glucagon study day.
Other: Glucagon Infusion · Other: Glucose clamp
A 240 minutes infusion of glucagon (10 ng/kg/min)
A 240 minutes infusion of 20 % w/v glucose. The infusion rate of glucose will be adjusted continuously to match the levels of glucose measured on the glucagon study day.
C-peptide (0-90 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentrations of C-peptide assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-90 minutes)
C-peptide to glucose ratio (0-90 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentration of C-peptide assessed as area under the curve divided by plasma concentration of glucose assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-90 minutes)
C-peptide to glucose ratio (0-240 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentration of C-peptide assessed as area under the curve divided by plasma concentration of glucose assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
C-peptide (0-240 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentrations of C-peptide assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
C-peptide (0 minutes-glucose peak)
Difference in plasma concentrations of C-peptide assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-time to plasma glucose peak concentration (assessed up to two hours))
C-peptide deconvolution (0-240 minutes)
Difference in deconvolution of plasma concentrations of C-peptide between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
Insulin (0-90 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentrations of insulin assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-90 minutes)
Insulin (0-240 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentrations of insulin assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
Time to glucagon peak
Time to glucagon peak on the glucagon study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
Time to glucagon steady state
Time to glucagon steady state on the glucagon study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
Glucagon concentration at steady state
Plasma glucagon steady state concentration on the glucagon infusion study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
Glucose (0-90 minutes)
Difference in plasma glucose assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-90 minutes)
Glucose (0-240 minutes)
Difference in plasma glucose assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
Glucose peak
Difference in plasma glucose peak concentration between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
Time to glucose peak
Difference in time to plasma glucose peak concentration between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-time to plasma glucose peak concentration (assessed up to two hours)
Glucose infused
Glucose (g) infused on the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
cAMP (0-90 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentration of cAMP assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-90 minutes)
cAMP (0-240 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentration of cAMP assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
cAMP (240-300 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentration of cAMP assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (240-300 minutes)
Cognitive function
Difference in cognitive function assessed as a composite score from the cognitive testing (SCIP testing) between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (180-240 minutes)
Word recall cognitive test
Difference in the word recall cognitive test between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (180-240 minutes)
Three-letter recall cognitive test
Difference in the three-letter recall cognitive test between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (180-240 minutes)
Verbal fluency cognitive test
Difference in the verbal fluency cognitive test between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (180-240 minutes)
Delayed word recall cognitive test
Difference in the delayed word recall cognitive test between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (180-240 minutes)
Visuomotor cognitive test
Difference in the visuomotor cognitive test between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (180-240 minutes)
Triglycerides (0-240 minutes)
Difference in plasma concentration of triglycerides assessed as area under the curve between the glucagon infusion study day and the glucose clamp study day
Time frame: During intervention (0-240 minutes)
This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Nicolai Jacob Wewer Albrechtsen