Question

Growth hormone level is decreased in?

• A. Hypoglycemia
• B. Fasting
• C. Sleep
• D. Exercise

Hint:

Hypoglycaemia, fasting and exercise all raise GH; only one phase of sleep lowers it.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Growth hormone (GH) secretion is pulsatile and is stimulated by a fall in blood glucose, a rise in certain amino acids, stress, exercise and deep sleep, while being suppressed by hyperglycaemia.

Step 2: Sleep has stage-specific effects on GH. Slow-wave sleep, that is stage N3 of NREM sleep, produces the largest surge in GH secretion of the day. In contrast, REM sleep is associated with a fall in GH secretion.

Step 3: Because the question lists "Sleep" as a single option and the recall answer points to the REM phase, the intended response is that GH is decreased during sleep (REM). Hypoglycaemia (a), fasting (b) and exercise (d) all clearly stimulate GH release, so they cannot be the answer.

Step 4: Therefore, among the listed choices, GH level is decreased in sleep, option (c).