The molecular mechanisms by which GH promotes insulin antagonism are still unclear. Stimulation of lipolysis could be of importance since high plasma FFA levels have been shown to interfere with insulin receptor signaling via inhibition of insulin-stimulated insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 associated phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase activity in human skeletal muscle, resulting in a decreased GLUT4 translocation and glucose transport (6). A recent study, however, was unable to document a suppression in the insulin-stimulated activity of either IRS-1 associated PI 3-kinase or the serin/threonin kinase Akt after GH administration to healthy humans, despite induction of lipolysis and insulin resistance (7). Other studies have shown that acute GH exposure induces insulin resistance in skeletal muscle rapidly and before the subsequent rise in plasma FFA (1;7;8). These observations indicate that GH may cause insulin resistance via a non-FFA mediated mechanism.