Abstract

Growth hormone (GH) use has been speculated to improve physical capacity in subjects without GH deficiency (GHD) through stimulation of collagen synthesis in the tendon and skeletal muscle, which leads to better exercise training and increased muscle strength. In this context, the use of GH in healthy elderly should be an option for increasing muscle strength. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of GH therapy on muscle strength in healthy men over 50 years old. Fourteen healthy men aged 50–70 years were evaluated at baseline for body composition and muscle strength (evaluated by leg press and bench press exercises, which focus primarily on quadriceps—lower body part and pectoralis major—upper body part—muscles, resp.). Subjects were randomised into 2 groups: GH therapy (7 subjects) and placebo (7 subjects) and reevaluated after 6 months of therapy. Thirteen subjects completed the study (6 subjects in the placebo group and 7 subjects in the GH group). Subjects of both groups were not different at baseline. After 6 months of therapy, muscle strength in the bench press responsive muscles did not increase in both groups and showed a statistically significant increase in the leg press responsive muscles in the GH group. Our study demonstrated an increase in muscle strength in the lower body part after GH therapy in healthy men. This finding must be considered and tested in frail older populations, whose physical incapacity is primarily caused by proximal muscle weakness. The trial was registered with NCT01853566.

Highlights

  • The ageing process is accompanied by an increased prevalence of the signs and symptoms of physical fragility, including sarcopenia, a decrease in exercise tolerance, osteopenia, an increase in visceral adiposity and a worsening of quality of life

  • The effects of ageing cause undesirable changes in body composition, a reduction of bone mineral density and muscle strength, and worsening exercise capacity, which is associated with a decrease in Growth hormone (GH) and IGF-I levels

  • Randomised studies demonstrated that the effectiveness of GH replacement is modest, either on its own or in combination with sex steroids or exercises [2, 4, 7]

Read more

Summary

Introduction

The ageing process is accompanied by an increased prevalence of the signs and symptoms of physical fragility, including sarcopenia, a decrease in exercise tolerance, osteopenia, an increase in visceral adiposity and a worsening of quality of life. The GH secretion declines gradually with age, whereby studies demonstrate a progressive reduction of 14% secretion per decade of life beginning in the second decade [2, 3]. These findings suggest a possible association between GHD and the ageing process [4, 5]. GH replacement has only shown an effect on muscle strength in GH-deficient adults subjected to long-term GH therapy [6]. Adults with GHD demonstrated normalisation of muscle strength after long-term GH replacement [6] These subjects showed increased exercise capacity with improvements in oxygen uptake and ventilatory threshold after GH therapy. This improvement was most likely due to some combination of increased muscle strength, International Journal of Endocrinology

Objectives
Methods
Results
Conclusion
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call