The Effect of Moderate and High Doses of Human Growth Hormone on the Insulin Response to Glucose Infusion in Prediabetic Subjects

HGH in a dose of 0.3 and 0.6 mg per kg per day was given for four days to normal subjects with normal insulin response to glucose infusion, and to a group of prediabetic subjects with the characteristic low and delayed insulin response to glucose. There was no clear difference between the two groups as regards the occurrence of glucose intolerance following the administration of pharmacologic doses of HGH. In the normal subjects, the lower dose of HGH caused a rise both in plasma insulin and in the insulin response to glucose. However, in the prediabetic group, the fasting level of plasma insulin increased only when the larger dose of HGH was given. Furthermore, while 0.3 mg of HGH enhanced only slightly the insulin response to glucose, 0.6 mg completely corrected the prediabetic type of the insulin curve.