To investigate the effect of propranolol and prindolol on renin secretion plasma renin activity (PRA) was determined overnight at short-time intervals in 10 sodium-restricted normal supine subjects. 4 of them were on a 4-days medication with propranolol, 3 were rreated with prindolol and 3 were used as control group. In normal controls renin was secreted episodically and showed characteristic night-day variations. Both in propranolol and in prindolol-treated subjects secretory episodes in renin secretion either did not occur or were less frequent than in normal controls. With one exception night-day variations in renin secretion were not observed. Mean PRA values were significantly lower than in the control group (p less than 0.001). Our results show that both propranolol and prindolol lower PRA and eliminate or reduce the frequency of secretory episodes. It is concluded that the sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in regulating night-day variations and short-time fluctuations of renin secretion in normal supine man.