Effect of ethanol on spontaneous and stimulated growth hormone secretion

Growth hormone (GH) regulates not only somatic growth but also carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. Altered secretory states resulting from alcohol use could have pathogenetic significance. The pattern of spontaneous GH secretion in man is reviewed and previously published human studies on ethanol and GH examined to develop a coherent formulation of the nature of ethanol effects on GH secretion. The weight of the evidence suggests that ethanol suppresses GH secretion. Studies using the rat indicates that the dose-response relationship is of a threshold nature, with doses of 3 g/kg or greater abolishing spontaneous secretion. The possible role of diminished GH secretion in the pathogenesis of the fetal alcohol syndrome is discussed.