Metabolic and hormonal responses to oral amino acids in infantile malnutrition.

Mmlner, R. D. G. (1971). Archives of Disease in Childhood, 46, 301. Metabolic and hormonal responses to oral amino acids in infantile malnutrition. A mixture of 10 essential amino acids was given by gavage to 8 children with infantile malnutrition and 7 children who had clinically recovered from malnutrition. Blood samples taken before and at different times after the amino acid load were analysed for glucose, free fatty acid, a-amino nitrogen, insulin, and growth hormone. In both the malnourished and the recovered children the amino acid load caused a rise in plasma a-amino nitrogen and glucose, and a fall in growth hormone levels, but no change in plasma free fatty acid or insulin levels.