The study investigated the respective influences of nicotinic acid and somatostatin on plasma concentrations of blood glucose, free fatty acids, glucagon, growth hormone and cortisol in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects. After administration of nicotinic acid alone, marked depression of plasma FFA was accompanied by significant increases of plasma glucagon, growth hormone and cortisol. The glucagon and growth hormone responses to nicotinic acid were significantly reduced when plasma FFA were raised by intravenous administration of heparin and triglycerides. Somatostatin alone induced a significant decrease in blood glucose, plasma glucagon and growth hormone concentrations. Plasma FFA remained unchanged. Somatostatin did not modify the nicotinic acid-induced fall in plasma FFA, but completely blocked the corresponding increments in glucagon and growth hormone. The cortisol rise was not altered by somatostatin. Rebound of glucagon and growth hormone levels were seen upon discontinuation of the somatostatin administration. These results demonstrate that the plasma FFA concentration plays a role in the regulation of glucagon and growth hormone secretion in insulin-dependent diabetics. Furthermore, they indicate that somatostatin, previously shown to be capable of negating the stimulatory effect of various factors on glucagon and growth hormone secretion, also affects the response of these hormones to FFA depression.