Growth hormone in the regulation of hyperlipidemia.

Plasma concentrations of triglyceride, cholesterol, and apolipoproteins A-I and B in young growth hormone deficient subjects were measured at intervals during the five weeks after initial hormone-replacement therapy. The mean concentrations of cholesterol, apolipoproteins A-I and B decreased significantly during that period: the decreases were progressive and in similar proportion to each other. Also, the amount by which apolipoprotein A-I concentration decreased was correlated with its plasmas concentration before treatment. The data suggests that growth hormone may play a role in the regulation of these three major plasma lipoprotein components and tend to suppress the development of hypercholesterolemia which has been observed in some adult growth hormone deficient subjects.