Gelatine and growth hormone release in eight young women
What it found
Gelatine raised growth hormone levels more than soy, milk or another milk protein in eight young women.
It also led to the highest blood levels of the amino acid arginine.
What they found
Studies in people
Growth hormone rise
Gelatine raised growth hormone to 8.2 microg/l on average. That was higher than soy at 5.0, alpha-lactalbumin at 4.5, or milk at 6.4 microg/l. All proteins raised it more than the placebo.
Arginine levels
After taking gelatine, blood levels of the amino acid arginine were higher than after any of the other proteins.
Insulin and glucose
Blood sugar and insulin levels did not differ between the various proteins tested.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that the ability to raise growth hormone depends on the protein source, with gelatine being the strongest.
- They suggest arginine may be the amino acid behind this effect of gelatine, though each protein has its own mix of amino acids involved.
How it was done
Growth hormone helps control body growth and makeup. Scientists already knew soy protein can boost its release, but wanted to see how other proteins compare.
Eight healthy women aged 19 to 26 took part in a randomised trial. Each woman drank soy, gelatine, a milk protein called alpha-lactalbumin, regular milk, or a placebo on separate occasions. The dose was 0.6 g of protein per kg of body weight, and blood was tested every 20 minutes for 5 hours.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial included only eight young women, so the results may not apply to men, older adults or children.
- The study measured short-term changes over five hours, not long-term effects on growth or body makeup.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Maastricht, The Netherlands
The paper
- Title
- The effects of dietary protein on the somatotropic axis: a comparison of soy, gelatin, alpha-lactalbumin and milk
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- van Vught AJ, Nieuwenhuizen AG, Veldhorst MA, Brummer RJ, Westerterp-Plantenga MS (2010). The effects of dietary protein on the somatotropic axis: a comparison of soy, gelatin, alpha-lactalbumin and milk. European journal of clinical nutrition. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2010.21PubMed 20216569DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error