Effect of ethanol on serum concentrations of somatomedin C and the growth hormone (GH) secretion stimulated by the releasing hormone (GHRH).
To elucidate the site of the ethanol-induced inhibition of the secretion of the growth hormone (GH) we studied the effect of ethanol on the growth hormone releasing hormone- (GHRH) stimulated secretion of GH in 9 healthy men, aged 22 to 41 years. After fasting over night the subjects received ethanol (1.0 g/kg of body weight) during 1.5 hours in the morning. Thereafter 100 micrograms of GHRH were given intravenously and the blood or serum concentrations of ethanol, glucose, GH, sometomedin C, free fatty acids and acetate were monitored for 4 hours. Every subject served as his own control by participating in an identical session during which water was served instead of ethanol. In 6 out of 9 subjects ethanol augmented the response of GH secretion to GHRH. Interestingly, serum concentrations of somatomedin C were higher after ethanol intake than without ethanol. Ethanol had no effect on blood glucose but serum concentrations of free fatty acids were lower and those of acetate higher during the ethanol session than in the control experiment. The results favour the suggestion that ethanol does not inhibit the GH release at the hypohyseal level. In contrast, ethanol may enhance the effect of GHRH, possibly through its influence upon serum levels of free fatty acids.
D000085:Acetates / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000097:blood*
D000085:Acetates; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D013002:Somatomedins; D000431:Ethanol; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone