The influence of amino acids and somatostatin on prolactin and growth hormone release in man.

The effect of an iv load of individual amino acids (alanine, arginine, histidine, leucine, phenylalanine, and valine) on serum prolactin (Prl) and growth hormone (GH) concentrations was studied in healthy adult males (n = 5). A rise in both, Prl and GH with a maximal increment of 15.9 +/- 6.7 (SE) ng/ml, and 12.4 +/- 4.9 ng/ml above basal levels, respectively, (P less than 0.05) was observed after iv arginine. Following iv phenylalanine the mean peak level of Prl rose from 9.9 +/- 3.5 to 29.9 +/- 7.3 ng/ml (P less than 0.01), whereas GH concentration remained unchanged. Iv leucine however induced an immediate rise in GH, but not in serum Prl. Serum concentrations of both, Prl and GH, failed to increase upon the infusion of either alanine or histidine or valine. Additional somatostatin administration starting prior to amino acid infusion diminished the amino acid induced increase of both Prl and GH release.