INFLUENCE OF METABOLIC SUBSTRATES AND OBESITY ON GROWTH-HORMONE SECRETION

In addition to stimulating body growth, GH plays an important role in metabolism. In turn, various products of intermediary metabolism, such as glucose, free fatty acids, dietary proteins, and amino acids feed back on both the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary to control th e function of the somatotroph cell. Alterations in nutritional status, such as malnutrition and obesity, markedly influence GH secretion and /or GH actions at tissue level. Therefore, the interaction between met abolic substrates and GH secretion can be viewed as part of the overal l regulation of feeding and fasting in order to maintain an adequate b ody weight and body composition.