L-dopa, growth hormone and adipokinesis in the lean and the obese.

Fourteen human volunteers (5 lean of both sexes, 4 grossly obese male, 4 grossly obese female, and one patient suffering from hypopituitarism) were given 500 mg of L-dopa orally, and growth hormone (HGH), cortisol, prolactin (hPRL), insulin, FSH, LH, free fatty acids (FFA) and blood glucose were determined up to 300 minutes following the drug. The lean group showed a uniformly marked increase in HGH followed by a significant FFA rise. The obese females exhibited blunted HGH and a somewhat reduced FFA response. In the obese male, there were no HGH und FFA increments. Unstimulated levels of HGH were lower and FFA markedly higher in both obese male and female vs the lean group. The patient with hypopituitarism showed no significant HGH and FFA response. In all groups, hPRL decreased, while Cortisol, LH, FSH, and blood glucose levels remained uninfluenced.