Growth hormone release after acute amitriptyline administration to normal human subjects

Single doses of the antidepressant amitriptyline were given to 12 normal males. After parenteral or oral dose of the drug, the concentration of growth hormone in plasma rose in one third of the subjects. Amitriptyline could have multiple and potentially opposite pharmacological actions on growth hormone. Antidepressants appear to be poor pharmacological tools for assessing the regulation of growth hormone release.