The Effect of Adrenergic Receptor Blockade on the Exercise-Induced Serum Growth Hormone Rise in Normals and Juvenile Diabetics

In bicycle ergometer studies in normal subjects it was shown that the exercise-induced serum growth hormone rise is influenced by alpha and beta adrenergic blocking agents, as is the case with hypoglycemia-induced growth hormone rise. In experiments with nonobese male juvenile diabetics it was demonstrated that the abnormal growth hormone rise during exercise, characterizing these patients, is also suppressed by the alpha adrenergic blocking agent, phentolamine, and enhanced by the beta adrenergic blocking agent, propranolol.