Obesity is associated with reduced growth hormone (GH) secretion. GH secretion is regulated by nutritional stimuli including fasting, insulin, glucose and free fatty acids. However, the role of micronutrients, such as vitamins, on GH secretion has not been investigated in much detail. Vitamin C levels are also reduced in obesity, and the investigators recently demonstrated a possible role for dietary vitamin C intake in the regulation of GH secretion in two preliminary retrospective studies. The investigators therefore propose a more detailed prospective physiological study to examine the effects of increasing dietary vitamin C intake on GH secretion in a physiologic, intervention study. The investigators hypothesize that increasing vitamin C concentrations in obese subjects with sub-optimal plasma vitamin C levels and reduced GH secretion will increase GH secretion.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Change from Baseline in GH secretion at 4 weeks
GH secretion will be assessed by overnight frequent blood sampling to assess maximum GH, nadir GH, mean overnight GH, as well as parameters of pulsatile secretion.
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 4 weeks
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