Growth hormone causes fat loss

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Tuesday, December 02, 2003 4:00 am Email this article
GROWTH HORMONE (GH) REPLACEMENT caused fat loss in men with a growth hormone deficiency.

This study which lasted one year was performed on 46 men average age 28 years with childhood-onset GH deficiency.

In a subgroup of 25 men who received optimal GH replacement, defined as those who showed a normalization of serum insulin-like growth factor-l (IGF-1), subcutaneous fat was reduced by 27% and intraabdominal fat by 47%.

The effects were dose-dependent. Before replacement the GH deficient men were significantly fatter than their peers (75% greater subcutaneous fat and 84% more intraabdominal fat).

The authors noted that growth hormone seems to be important for regulation of body fat throughout life.

Previous studies that have given GH replacement to aging men have also found decreases in body fat as well as increases in muscle mass.

REFERENCE

de Boer H, Blok G-J, Voerman B, Derriks P, van der Veen E. Changes in subcutaneous and visceral fat mass during growth hormone replacement therapy in adult men. International Journal of Obesity, June 1996, 20(6):580-7.

Correspondence to: H de Boer, Department of Endocrinology, Free University Hospital, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

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