Studies on Growth Hormone Secretion in Protein-Calorie Malnutrition

Abstract

Human growth hormone levels are raised in nutritional marasmus, as has been found in kwashiorkor. In the individual untreated case the degree of elevation appears to correlate with the severity of the protein depletion as measured by a low plasma albumin concentration. The high HGH values in kwashiorkor are not affected by increasing the calorie intake and fall only when protein is added to the diet. These results suggest that chronic protein deprivation acts as a stimulus to growth hormone secretion.