Growth Hormone Has Several Metabolic Effects Aside from its general effect in causing growth, growth hormone has multiple specific metabolic
effects, including (1) increased rate of protein synthesis in most cells of the body; (2) increased
mobilization of fatty acids from adipose tissue, increased free fatty acids in the blood, andincreased
use of fatty acids for energy; and (3) decreased rate of glucose utilization throughout the body
Enhancement of Amino Acid Transport Through the Cell Membranes. Growth
hormone directly enhances transport of most amino acids through the cell membranes to the interior of
the cells. This increases the amino acid concentrations in the cells and is presumed to be at least partly
responsible for the increased protein synthesis
