Grondahl MF, et al. - Researcher explored the hypothesis that smoking-derived nicotine and ensuing activation of nicotinic cholinergic receptors in the gastrointestinal tract and the autonomic nervous system would have a detrimental effect on postprandial glucose metabolism and, thus, potentially constitute a link between smoking and the development of type 2 diabetes. The enrolled male heavy smokers were subjected to 2 identical 4-h liquid mixed-meal tests: 1 with concomitant cigarette smoking (immediately before and after meal intake) and 1 without smoking. A decrease was reported in the postprandial plasma glucose concentrations, possibly through decreased gastric emptying due to smoking in association with meal intake. Findings illustrated that elevated fasting glucagon concentrations instead of smoking-induced alterations in postprandial glucose and hormone responses were possibly related to elevated risk of type 2 diabetes in chronic smokers.