Changes in pituitary secretion after administration of branched-chain amino acids to patients with hepatic cirrhosis.

Infusion of a mixture of branched-chain 1-amino acids (BCAA; isoleucine, leucine, and valine) in six male patients suffering from hepatic cirrhosis led to an increase in serum GH, while serum PRL was not affected. In the same patients arginine infusion stimulated GH and PRL release. These findings demonstrate that hypothalamo-pituitary responsiveness to amino acid stimulation is preserved in cirrhosis and that administration of these amino acids has some endocrine effect.