OBJECTIVE Fasting is known to clearly increase both spontaneous and GHRH‐stimulated GH secretion in normal subjects and this effect is likely to be due to hypothalamic mechanism(s). Our aim was to clarify the effect of a 3 or 4‐day fast, on the GH response to GHRH alone or combined with arginine, an amino acid probably acting via inhibition of hypothalamic somatostatin release.

DESIGN Two tests with GHRH (1 μg/kg i.v.), administered either alone or in combination with arginine (ARG, 0.5 g/kg i.v.) were performed, in a randomized order at least 3 days apart. In obese women the two tests were repeated after a 3 or 4‐day fast.

PATIENTS Seven obese women (06, aged 17–54 years, BMI 42.4 ± 3.6 kg/m², waist‐hip ratio (WHR) 0.85 ± 0.01) and ten healthy women, as control subjects (CS, aged 20–44 years, BMI 23.1 ± 1.1 kg/m², WHR 0.79 ± 0.01) were studied.

MEASUREMENTS Serum GH and IGF‐I levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. The GH secretory responses were expressed either as absolute values (mU/l) or as areas under the curve (AUC, mU/l/h) calculated by trapezoidal integration. IGF‐I concentrations were expressed as absolute values (μg/l) with reference to a pure recombinant IGF‐I preparation. Results are expressed as mean ± SEM.

RESULTS Basal GH and IGF‐l levels in OB were lower than in CS (0.8 ± 0.2 vs 4.8 ± 1.0 mU/I, P< 0.0001 and 120.1 ± 21.4 vs 188.7 ± 13.1 μg/l, P <0.02, respectively). The GHRH‐induced GH rise in OB was lower (P <0.00001) than in CS (AUC 340.2 ± 81.0 vs 2125.0 ± 199.6 mU/l/h). ARG increased the GHRH‐induced GH rise in both groups, but in OB the GH response to ARG + GHRH (1458.4 ± 439.0 mU/l/h, P < 0.03 vs GHRH alone) remained lower (P <0.0001) than in CS (6396.2 ± 772.2 mU/l/h, P < 0.01 vs GHRH alone). In spite of a reduction in body weight and IGF‐I, Insulin and glucose levels, in OB fasting failed to modify both the basal GH levels and the somatotroph responsiveness to GHRH when administered either alone or combined with ARG. An increase in free fatty acids (FFA) was also found after fasting.

CONCLUSIONS The results of this study demonstrate that in obesity the somatotroph hyporesponsiveness to GHRH, either alone or combined with arginine, is not improved by short‐term fasting. As fasting is considered a CNS mediated stimulus to GH secretion, its ineffectiveness in obesity does not support a hypothalamic pathogenesis and suggests that long standing metabolic alterations, such as hyperinsulinaemia and/or elevated free fatty acids, could play a major role in causing GH insufficiency in obese patients.