Growth hormone effect on the role of fat in nitrogen metabolism

¹ Department of Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island

Nitrogen balance of mice was affected adversely when they received protein and a carbohydrate-fat mixture at different times of day. Administration of growth hormone overcame this adverse effect, although in the dosage employed the hormone had no measurable effect when protein and carbohydrate-fat were administered simultaneously. In other experiments we showed that fat feeding reduced the loss of nitrogen. Administration of fat and growth hormone (in a dose which by itself was ineffective) reduced the nitrogen loss to minimal levels. In animals which had previously become adapted to high-fat rations, fat showed a large nitrogen-sparing action which could not be further enhanced by growth-hormone treatment. The data suggest that one function of growth hormone is to speed adaptation to efficient fat utilization which is reflected in nitrogen retention.

Key Words: nitrogen balance • fat metabolism

Submitted on February 15, 1965