Nine male patients 35 to 60 years old received 100 µg synthetic thyrotropin-releasing
hormone (TRH) after both an overnight and a 36 hour fast and the serum prolactin response
was measured by radioimmunoassay. The prolonged fast significantly (p < 0.05) decreased
the mean peak prolactin response from 86.3 ± 25.9 to 32.0 ± 6.2 and the increment
above basal from 76.8 ± 24.3 to 27.5 ± 5.5 ng/ml. There was no change in the pattern
or timing of the response and basal values were insignificantly lowered. These observations
are discussed in relation to the effects of fasting on glucose, insulin, growth hormone,
free fatty acid, ketones and water and electrolyte metabolism.
Prolactin - Fasting - Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH) - Immunoassay
