An investigation of endogenous ghrelin and growth hormone-releasing hormone following the consumption of two different relative doses of oral l-arginine

Individuals consume the amino acid L-arginine (L-arg) to obtain an anabolic response. However, little is known concerning the mechanism for using an oral dose. The primary purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of consuming two relative doses of oral L-arg on the growth hormone secretagogues (GHS) endogenous ghrelin and growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) at rest. Thirteen healthy men age 25.1 +/- 5.0 yr randomly ingested 0.15 g˙kg -1 of L-arg, 0.075 g˙kg-1 of L-arg or a placebo on 3 separate occasions. Plasma hormone levels were measured at rest and up to 3 hrs after ingestion. No significant differences were found in plasma ghrelin or GHRH concentrations between the 3 treatment conditions. These findings indicate that the oral ingestion of L-arg, regardless of dose, does not influence plasma concentrations of ghrelin or GHRH at rest.