Oral Glucose Tolerance Test for Everyone: Affordable, Accessible, and Well-Tolerated Alternatives to Traditional Glucose Liquid

The growing global burden of diabetes requires innovative strategies for accurate and patient-friendly diagnostic methods. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), a long-standing cornerstone in diabetes screening, employs a glucose solution called Glucola. However, the drawbacks of Glucola, including discomfort, side effects, and cost, have fuelled the exploration of alternative substances for OGTT. This comprehensive review article examines the clinical significance, patient acceptance, and cost-effectiveness of these emerging alternatives. An extensive literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar was done for articles published after 1995, but priority was given to articles published after the year 2000. Twelve articles discussing alternatives to Glucola were included in this review. Research consistently indicates that these alternatives offer diagnostic accuracy comparable to that of Glucola while mitigating patient discomfort and reducing financial burdens. The economic aspect of diabetes detection is a key consideration, given the substantial costs associated with Glucola-based testing protocols. By synergizing alternative approaches with patient education, diabetes screening can be made more accessible and cost-effective. The present article reviewed the available clinical data on alternatives explored for oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) beyond the use of Glucola, shedding light on their accuracy and tolerance in different population groups.