Study of Glucagon, Ghrelin and Growth Hormone as Counterregulatory Hormones

• Status: Unknown status
• Trial end date: 2014-07-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: Male

Summary

Glucagon has been used for decades as a test of growth hormone (GH) reserve. The pathway by which GH is stimulated by glucagon is not established. Acyl ghrelin has been shown to increase GH levels and to be stimulated by an increase in adrenergic activity. The proposed study will test the concept that with the fall in blood glucose it is likely that there is a sympathetic discharge which contributes to the increase in acyl ghrelin and indirectly leads to the increase in GH and cortisol.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Virginia
• Collaborator: Novo Nordisk A/S
• Treatments: Atenolol; Glucagon; Glucagon-Like Peptide 1; Hormones

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Healthy normal men

2. Age 18-30 yrs

3. BMI 18-27 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Medication or previous surgery known to affect ghrelin secretion.

2. Medications known to have an impact on body weight (Seroquel, tricyclic antidepressants).

3. Medications known to have an impact on the beta adrenergic system.

4. Coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, significant hypertension (BP >180 systolic or >100 diastolic at rest); renal, hepatic, pulmonary disease; untreated hypothyroidism, untreated hyperthyroidism; history of seizure disorder; history of malignancy (other than some skin cancers), history of active chronic infections (e.g., HIV, tuberculosis).

5. Endocrine disorders, i.e., pheochromocytoma, adrenal insufficiency

6. Hematocrit < 41% men

7. History of daily tobacco use within past 3 months

8. Chronic alcohol abuse by history

9. Weight not stable (more than 10% weight change or more over past 6 months)

10. Strenuous exercise for average of more than 60 min/day

11. Investigational drug within past 6 weeks

12. Psychiatric history especially eating disorders

13. Transmeridian travel within 2 weeks prior to or during study

14. Known hypersensitivity to beta-blockers

15. Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate below 60 mL/min/1.73m2.

16. Known cardiac dysrhythmia, especially first degree heart block. -