title: The association of macro- and micronutrient intake with growth hormone secretion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Growth hormone (GH) is known to be nutritionally regulated, but the effect of dietary composition on detailed GH secretion parameters has not previously been comprehensively evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to determine whether specific macro- and micronutrients are associated with discrete parameters of GH secretion among subjects with wide ranges of body mass index.
  
  
  METHODS
  Detailed macro- and micronutrient intake was assessed by 4-day food records while GH secretion was assessed by standard stimulation testing in 108 men and women in one study (Study 1), and by overnight frequent blood sampling in 12 men in another study (Study 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peak stimulated GH was positively associated with vitamin C (r=+0.29; P=0.003), dietary fiber (r=+0.27; P=0.004), arachidic acid (r=+0.25; P=0.008), and behenic acid (r=+0.30; P=0.002) intake in univariate analysis. Controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, visceral fat, HOMA-IR, total caloric intake and these four dietary factors in step-wise multivariate modeling, peak GH remained significantly associated with vitamin C and visceral fat (both P<0.05). In addition, vitamin C intake was associated with various parameters of endogenous GH secretion including basal GH secretion (r=+0.95; P<0.0001), GH half-life (r=+.75; P=0.005), total GH production (r=+0.76; P=0.004), GH area-under-the-curve (r=+0.89; P=0.0001), mean log(10) GH pulse area (r=+0.67; P=0.02), and overnight maximum (r=+0.62; P=0.03), nadir (r=+0.97; P<0.0001), and mean GH secretion (r=+0.89; P=0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that certain micronutrients such as vitamin C intake are strongly and uniquely associated with stimulated and endogenous spontaneous GH secretion.
authors.affiliation: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Denny-Brown
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Grinspoon
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makimura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018977:Micronutrients; D014131:Trace Elements; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D001205:Ascorbic Acid