PLASMA GROWTH HORMONE LEVELS AFTER LUNCH IN DIABETIC AND NON-DIABETIC SUBJECTS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Plasma growth hormone (HGH) was serially assayed for 2 h after a midday meal in 56 non-diabetic subjects and in 55 diabetic patients, including obese and non-obese, insulin treated and non-insulin treated subjects. The post-prandial mean HGH values during the 2 h of observation were very low. A very small but significant increase in the mean plasma HGH levels (up to 2 ng/ml) was observed 90 min after the beginning of the meal in non-diabetic non-obese women and in insulin treated diabetics of both sexes. Intergroup comparisons did not show any differences at any time except at the 90 min point between non-diabetic non-obese women and non-diabetic non-obese men. There were no differences between non-diabetic and diabetic subjects. A few individuals in some groups showed elevated HGH values but there were no differences between the frequency of HGH responders among diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Thus during the two hours after a midday meal there is no hypersecretion of HGH in diabetic subjects whatever the kind of treatment and the level of blood sugar.