Growth Hormone in Malnutrition

Abstract

Glucose tolerance tests (0.5 g glucose/kg, iv) and insulin tolerance tests (0.1 U regular insulin/kg, iv) were conducted among the malnourished patients of the Hospital Rosales of San Salvador, Central America. Normal controls were obtained among volunteers of the women's jail. In contrast to the normal volunteers, the malnourished showed glucose intolerance; but a much more striking difference appeared in their plasma growth hormone (hGH) concentrations. Among the controls hGH was readily detectable only in women and was suppressed by hyperglycemia; in the malnourished, of both sexes, on the other hand, hGH was elevated and rose further with glucose loading. Insulin hypoglycemia produced hGH rises in all groups, but the differences between malnourished and control subjects were minor, especially when compared to those after glucose administration. Nonessential to essential amino acid ratios were much less effective than hGH measurements in discriminating between malnourished patients and control subjects.