your doubts answer by this article on HGH

[gautho]

For Gh to be successful, you have to really be disciplined and do your necessary homework. The unsuccessful stories i hear make me wonder if these people did all the necessary things one should do while running gh. Were you true to your diet, training, supplementation, were you true to taking your injections at the appropriate times with all the appropriate ancillaries? IMO, Gh doesn't work all that well without sufficient carbo intake.

 

[NYBodyguard]

For Gh to be successful, you have to really be disciplined and do your necessary homework. The unsuccessful stories i hear make me wonder if these people did all the necessary things one should do while running gh. Were you true to your diet, training, supplementation, were you true to taking your injections at the appropriate times with all the appropriate ancillaries? IMO, Gh doesn't work all that well without sufficient carbo intake.

gh without slin worth anything for mass?

 

[busamuscle]

from muscletalk UK
Somatostatin (SS), secreted by the hypothalamus as well as other tissues inhibits the secretion of HGH Somatostatin in response to GHRH and to other stimulatory factors such as low blood glucose concentration. High levels of IGF-1 also stimulate Somatostatin secretion

I thought low blood glucose caused a release of HGH to the liver which then would release glucose to slow brain damage !

 

[Magick69]

i have to say i found the article very good especially the recomposition; explain it very well....

this is another pretty good article and from a site who host AR quite often

GH: The Untold Story
How to lose fat and gain muscle with low doses of growth hormone
by Douglas S. Kalman MS, RD, FACN
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=461700



Have you ever been promised something that sounded so great you almost wet your pants? Well, then you know a little about how Ponce de Leon felt. He, while on a conquest of the New World (Columbus's second trip to the Americas), was promised a "fountain of youth." After many years of searching, he never did find that fabled fountain. Now, five hundred years later, we're still searching for it, and Ponce looks every bit his age.

The idea of eternal youth resurfaced big time in mainstream America in the late 1980's. Judging by all those plasticized, liposucked, and Botoxed women in South Beach and on Rodeo Drive, I'd say the quest for eternal youth is still going strong. But what if I told you that you could take a simple little injection that would help you slash body fat, restore your skin to its tautness of yesteryear, and perhaps even add years to your life? Wouldn't you also want to dive headfirst into this potential fountain of youth?


A Little Background

As most of you probably guessed, today's fountain of youth (and perhaps what Ponce was looking for) is growth hormone. Human Growth Hormone (hGH or GH), is one of several endocrine hormones. "Endocrine" means that the hormone is produced in one place (in this case, the anterior pituitary), but its action occurs elsewhere (throughout the body). Some of the other endocrine hormones are estrogen, progesterone, Testosterone and DHEA.

GH is also known as somatotropin. It's made up of 191 amino acids (a polypeptide) and its release can be stimulated by growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH). In other words, the anterior pituitary will release GH if GHRH is secreted from the hypothalamus. Increase GHRH and you'll increase GH. You'd expect that if you administered exogenous GHRH, the body would respond by overproduction of GH, but sorry, it doesn't. So forget trying to use GHRH in this manner.

The natural overproduction of GH results in acromegaly (think Andre the Giant), while underproduction results in dwarfism (think Hank, the Angry Dwarf).


How are "normal" GH levels determined?

Normally, the body produces about 500 micrograms of GH daily from a total of six to eight pulse secretions. This "normal" number decreases as we age. GH levels decline by about 14% per decade after the age of 30. Obviously, the time period in our lives when our GH levels are at their peaks is during the adolescent years.

Doctors can normally determine if your body is producing enough GH by a few different means. The most utilized test for GH — the gold standard — is the insulin tolerance test (ITT). Other reliable tests include employing arginine infusions (500 mg/kg infused over a 30-minute period), oral L-dopa (500 mg for an adult), clonidine (4 mcg/kg orally), or even sleep or twenty minutes of vigorous exercise. Depending on the test employed, the determination of your GH level can be at the twenty-minute mark or as much as 120 minutes after you started the test.

If you have any of these tests done and your GH is determined to be less than 10 nanograms per deciliter (<10 ng/dl), you're more than likely GH deficient. Currently, the FDA has approved GH for Adult GH Deficiency. Therefore, it's legal and ethical for a physician to prescribe GH therapy. For methods of testing your GH at home, see the article Hormone Testing at Home published a while back in T-mag.

As an aside, several medications are known to increase GH levels. Most of these medications are neuroendocrine (by extension used in psychiatry). These medications include Zolmitriptan, Clonidine, Apomorphine, Baclofen, Bromocriptine, Pergolide mesylate, L-692,429 and L-163,255 (compounds in development by Merck), ghrelin (a developmental drug) and other dopamine and GABA agonists. Please note that the duration of elevated GH from any of these medications isn't yet defined.


Why do athletes use GH?

The short answer is because they can. However, the real question should be, is it beneficial for the athlete to take GH? Besides wanting to look like Arnold, the answer is yes. And in fact, that benefit stretches all the way to those people who are looking to lose weight and cut body fat.

Most high-level bodybuilders use GH in order to gain muscle, which is a mistake. While it's true that GH enhances protein synthesis rates (as does exercise and the ingestion of amino acids), it doesn't directly translate into new muscle growth. Unfortunately, bodybuilders hear about the increased protein synthesis and think that it means an easy path to larger muscles. It's interesting to note that the greatest abundance of GH receptors is along the intestinal tract. So, it's not surprising that most GH-using pro-bodybuilders look pregnant!

Medically, GH is used for people with intestinal disorders such as short bowel syndrome. The incorporation of GH into their therapy aids in absorption of protein and other nutrients in order to sustain life, much different than that bloated guy onstage doing his best not to lay tracks while going through a posing routine.


What about GH as an "Anti-Aging" medicine?

Those who sell GH cite several reasons as to why GH levels decline as we age. For starters, while the body has a hormone that enhances the secretion of GH, it also has a counter-regulatory hormone known as somatostatin. It's thought that as we age (past the age of 40) somatostatin activity increases, thus GH production falls. So some anti-aging docs pharmaceutically look to alter somatostatin activity as a means to bolster GH levels back to those of the younger years.

Another thought is that GHRH (the releasing hormone) becomes less sensitive to signals from the hypothalamus, thus less GHRH is produced and even worse yet, your GH levels fall. Another theory is that the cell receptors for GH throughout the body become less responsive to GH and don't let it bind, so the GH never totally reaches its target tissue.

The proponents of GH therapy as an anti-aging medicine claim that they can help you gain muscle without exercising, improve sexual function, reduce wrinkles, enhance bone density, improve your memory, enhance wound healing time, bolster the immune system and improve heart function. Some people claim that GH can also promote the regrowth of heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and other internal organs that "shrink" with age. I'm not sure whether that would work or not, but the claims exist nonetheless.

Research with GH in the older population has generally yielded positive results. In fact, Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg of Tufts University recently stated, "Aging is a disease! We could save billions of dollars if we could delay the onset of chronic diseases by as little as ten years. There are more anti-aging agents than you can imagine and probably more that science can discover in the next century. But many of these barriers to aging are here now, right in front of our faces in the form of vitamins, minerals, natural enzymes, amino acids and other natural substances. Evidence is piling up, showing how they can fight aging. Prestigious medical journals are full of reports, unimaginable ten years ago, documenting the awesome powers of such natural substances to prevent, halt and reverse the deterioration that comes with advancing years."

In the paper from where this quote was taken, direct reference to the studies on GH replacement were made. These studies demonstrated that GH replacement might, as Cher would sing, "turn back time." Furthermore, according to Steven Grinspoon, M.D. of Harvard Medical School, GH replacement therapy can have a positive effect on body composition and blood lipids (reducing the bad cholesterol, LDL), in addition to enhancing bone density (good for fighting osteoporosis) and cardiac function. These are the real benefits; the ones that aren't usually marketed.


What are the downsides of using GH?

Downsides, besides having the guts of today's professional bodybuilders? There are a few, but it's important to understand that the downsides are usually related to GH abuse or overuse.

The first concern is that overdoing it with GH can cause fluid retention and high blood pressure as well as carpal tunnel syndrome. Minor muscle aches can also occur. The major side effects can be lengthening of bone plates (often visually observed as changes in the jawbone, forehead and feet) and insulin resistance (which can turn into diabetes). It may also turn on cancer "on and off" switches known as oncogenes, which may progress to various forms of cancer.


What are the upsides of using GH?

The positives, like the negatives, are dose related. Think of it this way, the higher the dose you take, the greater the chance you'll experience a negative side effect. However, strong research is accumulating that low dose GH is the way to go for body-fat reduction or reducing the risks of diabetes and heart disease. Eight good clinical trials have been published recently in top tier medical journals indicating the low-dose GH therapy is the way to go for altering body composition.

One study examined seven years of low dose GH replacement. The scientists found that an average daily dose of 1.83 IU (or 0.61 mg/day) per day significantly reduced body fat while actually improving insulin sensitivity! In yet another study of 595 adults, low-dose GH treatment resulted in a 4.38% increase in lean body mass and a body fat reduction of 6.35%. Interestingly enough, it appears that gender makes a difference as men had more favorable results than females.

In all of the "low dose" studies, the only side effect noted was arthralgia (muscle aches) and that occurred in the conventional treatment group (they received the normal GH replacement dose (0.0125 mg/d).


What is a "low-dose"?

Low dose treatment or usage of GH is typically in a range of 0.05 mg to 1.0 mg/day. Most people start high and reduce their GH dose as time marches on.

(Note: To understand the milligram (mg) and International Units (IU's) equivalence thing, the rule of thumb is that one milligram equals three IU.)

Most therapeutic long term treatments geared toward fat loss and enhanced lean-body mass are safely engaged with lower than normal doses. (The goal is maximum long term benefit with little to no downside, thus no need for conventional dosing). Bodybuilders, on the other hand, will take ten or more IU's daily, thus not really reaping the benefits of Ponce de Leon's dream. Remember that all good clinical trials have used lower doses than what bodybuilders tend to use and have yielded great results. If you want life extension and/or a greater quality of life, then listen to the research.


Where do people get GH?

Believe it or not, you can get GH from your physician. Good luck, though. Many doctors don't understand why someone would want to use GH to lose weight or increase their vitality. The sad fact is that many physicians aren't well read in this arena, thus they'll give you a hard time.

However, there are many good physicians and centers that will help you if you wish to have your GH levels tested. It's very easy to get GH if you're found to be GH deficient as an adult. Some places to contact if you're interested in learning more about GH for fat loss are:

• Clinical Research for Human Growth Hormone. Their website is GrowthHormoneTherapy.net, phone number 800-815-7443.

• American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Their website is HumanGrowth-Hormone.org, phone number 1-866-DIAL-GH.

• AA & T Clinics in Atlanta, Georgia. Their websites are RenewMan.com and RenewWoman.com. Phone number 800- 859-7511.

• To locate a clinic near you go to RxGH.com


My "informants" tell me that many people also get their GH from China (they import it). The company they get it from (supposedly) is Jiangxi Chinabase Import & Export, LTD. Their website is ChinaBases.com. It's a very thorough website and the company carries a wide and diverse amount of products. Before you import anything in, though, make sure to check your country's laws regarding products of interest.

The GH Wrap Up

• Many people believe that the fountain of youth is human growth hormone. Available brands of GH includes Genotropin, Sazien, Seristim (Serostim), Humatotrope, Norditropin, Nutropin AQ, Nutropin, and Protropin.

• The dosages used by pro-bodybuilders are ridiculous. These high and ultra-high doses can lead to diabetes, acromegaly, bloated guts and possibly cancer.

• Lower doses of GH can reduce body fat and enhance lean body mass. Typical doses in research are ranging from 0.05 mg to 1.0 mg/day. This equates to 0.15 IU to 3 IU daily.

• There are many places to get GH, from chinabases.com to rxGH.com and even your physician (perhaps). If you're going to use it, it's worth doing so in a medically supervised fashion. Ponce would be proud.


Douglas Kalman works as a Director for Miami Research Associates, a pharmaceutical and nutraceutical service organization. MRA conducts Phase II through Post Market Surveillance trials. Their website can be found at MiamiResearch.com. Doug can be reached at [email protected].

 

[floridalife]

great article man, when's your igf article coming out?

 

[Magick69]

More about GH and importance of low doses

Advances in Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy in Adults

by Steven Grinspoon, M.D. , Harvard University

Acquired growth hormone (GH) deficiency results from the destruction of normal pituitary and/or hypothalamic tissue, usually from a tumor or secondary to surgical and/or radiation therapy. Diagnostic criteria and clinical sequelae of GH deficiency, although well established in children, are currently areas of active investigation in the adult. It is now apparent that acquired GH deficiency is associated with significant changes in body composition, bone density, lipid metabolism, cardiovascular function and physical performance. In addition, new information is now available on the use of low doses of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) to reverse the sequelae of GH deficiency in adults.

The Growth Hormone Deficiency Syndrome
Acquired GH deficiency is characterized by weight gain, increased fat mass and decreased lean body mass. In one recent study, total body fat was shown to be increased by 7% in this population while lean body mass was decreased to a similar degree (1). The increased fat mass is found in a truncal distribution, thereby increasing the waist:hip ratio. In addition, triglyceride levels are increased and HDL levels decreased. The increased lipid levels may explain, in part, the observation of increased vascular wall thickness, as measured by carotid ultrasonography, in this population. These factors all likely contribute to the increased incidence of cardiovascular mortality seen in patients with GH deficiency (2).

Muscle mass and muscle strength are diminished in GH-deficient patients. In the heart, these changes are manifested by a reduced left ventricular mass, decreased fractional shortening of cardiac myocytes, and decreased cardiac output. Such abnormalities may contribute to the striking decline in exercise capacity in this population. In one recent study, exercise capacity, as assessed by cycle ergometry was decreased by 20-25% compared to normal controls (3). Bone density is also known to be reduced in the GH-deficient patient. In a recent study, cortical bone density and spinal (trabecular) bone density were 2.8 and 1.5 standard deviations below the mean for age and sex matched controls (4).

Finally, patients with GH deficiency appear to have impaired psychological well being and potentially significant neuropsychiatric manifestations, such as lack of concentration and memory impairment. Self rating questionnaires consistently demonstrate reduced vitality, fatigue, social isolation and depression (5). However, it is unknown whether this impairment in psychological well being is associated specifically with GH deficiency or is due to another factor associated with hypopituitarism.

Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Therapy
Recombinant human growth hormone may become a novel therapeutic option for adults with acquired GH deficiency. Recent studies indicate that many of the metabolic and psychological abnormalities associated with GH deficiency can be reversed with GH replacement, even at low doses which are not associated with side effects.

Body Composition
GH therapy results in profound changes in body composition: fat mass is reduced while lean body mass increases. Growth hormone, at the relatively low dose of 0.003 mg/kg was shown to normalize lean body mass over 6 months in 24 adults with GH deficiency (1). The improvement in lean body mass is associated with increased protein synthesis, muscle mass and muscle function. Total body fat mass also decreases after 6 months of GH administration. The decline in fat mass is most significant in visceral and trunk locations as compared to the arms, neck and legs, suggesting that GH replacement therapy will reverse the truncal redistribution of fat mass associated with GH deficiency and impact on cardiovascular risk (6).

Lipid Metabolism
GH replacement in adults may have a beneficial effect on lipids. In a recent study, it was reported that short courses of GH reduced LDL cholesterol and this reduction correlated with increased mRNA expression of the LDL receptor in the liver (7). The potential benefit of this interaction has yet to be investigated in longer term clinical trials, but it must be noted that dramatic changes in serum lipid levels are not consistently seen with GH administration.

Bone Density
The potential role of GH in the maintenance of the skeleton has recently been investigated. GH is known to stimulate osteoblast proliferation and thymidine incorporation in vitro. Furthermore, GH stimulates systemic and local production of Insulin Like Growth Factor I, another known bone mitogen. In a recent study, GH replacement was shown to increase significantly bone Gla-protein, a sensitive indicator of osteoblast function (8). Less consistent changes in bone density have been demonstrated with GH administration. However, in a recent study using the sensitive techniques of quantitative tomography and single photon absorptiometry, significant increases of 5% and 4% were demonstrated in spinal and cortical bone density over 12 months of therapy in GH-deficient adults (4). It thus appears that GH administration may act to reverse the osteopenia present in the GH-deficient patient.

Cardiovascular Function
Improvements in exercise capacity and cardiac function have been demonstrated among GH-deficient patients receiving GH replacement in several recent studies. Such patients show increased oxygen uptake and power output during cycle ergometry associated with increased skeletal muscle mass and improved cardiac function. Echocardiography has shown that left ventricular mass index, fractional shortening and fiber shortening velocity all improve after 6 months of low dose GH therapy (8).

Side Effects Associated with Low-Dose GH Replacement
The dose of rhGH is an important consideration in the therapy of acquired GH-deficiency. Large, pharmacological doses of GH are often associated with the clinical sequelae of GH excess, including fluid retention and hypertension. However, increasingly smaller, physiological, doses of rhGH are currently being used for replacement in GH- deficient patients without such sequelae. At a dose of 0.03 mg/kg/week, Bengtsson et al. demonstrated only minor side effects including fluid retention and mild arthralgias in the majority of patients but did report carpal tunnel syndrome in one patient (6). In all cases, further reduction of the GH dosage resulted in amelioration of side effects. In another recent study in which a smaller dose of GH was used, 0.01 mg/kg was administered three times per week without any reported side effects (8). It remains unknown, however, whether chronic administration of GH at doses which keep IGF-I levels within the normal range will also improve key metabolic variables.

Future Directions
Growth hormone deficiency is an important cause of excess morbidity and even mortality. Evidence from a number of smaller studies indicates that GH replacement will improve body composition, lipid metabolism, bone density, cardiovascular function and psychological well being. Important issues remaining are the precise clinical definition of partial vs. complete GH deficiency in such patients and clarifying the best tests to make this diagnosis. In addition, it is unclear whether some of the observed beneficial effects reflect pharmacological GH therapy rather than physiologic GH replacement. Nevertheless, it is apparent that small doses, unassociated with sequelae of GH excess, may suffice to achieve the desired metabolic results. Definitive recommendations on dosage and the long term effects of GH therapy, particularly on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, will be determined by the prospective studies now underway at the MGH and other centers around the country.

References:
1. Salomon F, Cuneo RC, Hesp R et al. The Effects of Treatment with Recombinant Human Growth Hormone on Body Composition and Metabolism in Adults with Growth Hormone Deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine 1989;321:1797-1803.
2. Bengtsson BA. The Consequences of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults. Acta Endocrinologica 1993;128 (Suppl 2):2-5.
3. Cuneo RC, Salomon F, Wiles CM et al. Growth Hormone Treatment in Growth Hormone Deficient Adults. II. Effects on Exercise Performance. Journal of Applied Physiology 1991;70:695-700.
4. O'Halloran DJ, Tsatsoulis A, Whitehouse RW et al. Increased Bone Density after Recombinant Human Growth Hormone (GH) Therapy in Adults with Isolated GH Deficiency. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1993;76:1344-1348.
5. McGauley GA, Cuneo RC, Salomon F et al. Psychological Well-Being Before and After Growth Hormone Treatment in Adults with Growth Hormone Deficiency. Hormone Research 1990;33 (suppl 4):52-54.
6. Bengtsson BA, Eden S, Lonn L et al. Treatment of Adults with Growth Hormone (GH) Deficiency with Recombinant Human GH. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1993;76;309-317.
7. Johnston DG, Bengtsson BA. Workshop Report: the Effects of Growth Hormone and Growth Hormone Deficiency on Lipids and the Cardiovascular System. Acta Endocrinologica 1993;128 (Suppl 2): 69-70.
8. Amato G, Carella C, Fazio S et al. Body Composition, Bone Metabolism, and Heart Structure and Function in Growth Hormone (GH)-Deficient Adults Before and After GH Replacement Therapy at Low Doses. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1993;77:1671-1676

 

[Anthony Roberts]

i have to say i found the article very good especially the recomposition; explain it very well....

this is another pretty good article and from a site who host AR quite often
.

I actually don't work with T-Nation any longer. Since they are owned by Biotest and I design supplements for the Protein Factory, I stopped submitting articles for T-Nation.

I'm still friendly with T.C. though, and most of the authors.

 

[Magick69]

more reseach abstracts about HGH and how moderate low doses of the hormone not more than 1 iu can still obtain benefits but without jeopardise the health of people especially people that have a diabetes history in the family as me ; i have the full texts if you want them just send me an email....
====================================================
Low-Dose Recombinant Human Growth Hormone as
Adjuvant Therapy to Lifestyle Modifications in the
Management of Obesity
STEWART G. ALBERT AND ARSHAG D. MOORADIAN
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Louis University School of
Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63104

Obese individuals are in a reduced GH/IGF-I state that may be
maladaptive. Fifty-nine obese men and premenopausal menstruating
women (body mass index, 36.9
5.0 kg/m2) were
randomized to a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of low
dose recombinant human GH (rhGH). During the 6-month intervention,
subjects self-administered daily rhGH or equivalent
volume of placebo at 200 g (1.9
0.3 g/kg for men, 2.0

0.3 g/kg for women); after 1 month, the dose was increased to
400 g (3.8
0.5 g/kg) in men and 600 g (6.0
0.8 g/kg) in
women. rhGH was then discontinued, and subjects were followed
up after 3 months. Forty completed the intervention,
and 39 completed the follow-up. Drop-out rates between rhGH
vs. placebo groups were not different (21.45; P0.228). One
subject discontinued the drug due to an rhGH-related side
effect. Body weight (BW) decreased with rhGH from 100.4

13.2 to 98.0
15.6 kg at 6 months (P  0.04) and was sustained
at 98.1
16.6 kg at 9 months (P  0.02). BW loss was entirely
due to loss of body fat (BF). Intention to treat analyses demonstrated
changes from baseline between rhGH and placebo
in BW (2.16
4.48 vs. 0.04
2.67 kg; P  0.03) and BF
(2.89
3.76 vs. 0.68
2.37 kg; P  0.01). rhGH increased
IGF-I from0.72 to0.10 SD (P0.0001).rhGHincreased highdensity
lipoprotein cholesterol 19% from 1.11
0.34 to 1.32

0.28 mmol/liter (P < 0.001). Neither group had changes in fasting
glucose, insulin sensitivity, or resting energy expenditure.
In conclusion, in obesity, rhGH normalized IGF-I levels, induced
loss of BW from BF, and improved lipid profile without
untoward effects on insulin sensitivity. (J Clin Endocrinol
Metab 89: 695–701, 2004)
=================================================

MASAKANE HAYAKAWA, YUKIO SHIMAZAKI, TOSHIO TSUSHIMA, YUZURU KATO,
KAZUE TAKANO, KAZUO CHIHARA, AKIRA SHIMATSU, AND MINORU IRIE
Research and Development Operations (M.H., Y.S.), Nihon Schering K.K., Osaka 532-0004; Department of Medicine 2 (T.T.,
K.T.), Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo 162-0054; Department of Medicine 2 (Y.K.), Shimane Medical School,
Izumo 693-8501; Department of Internal Medicine 3 (K.C.), Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017;
Clinical Research Institute (A.S.), Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Kyoto National Hospital, Kyoto 612-8555;
and Toho Medical School (M.I.), Toho University, Tokyo 143-8541, Japan


The biological effects of 20-kDa human GH (20K-hGH), which
is produced in the pituitary by alternative splicing of GH
mRNA and comprises approximately 6% of all GH in serum,
have not been reported.
We have investigated the metabolic effects of recombinant
20K-hGH in adult patients with GH deficiency in an exploratory
study. Three doses of 20K-hGH (0.006, 0.012, and 0.024
mg/kg
d), were administered for 16 wk to three groups (consisting
of 18 or 19 subjects), respectively. The 20K-hGH dosedependently
increased serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels, and
the lowest dose (0.006 mg/kg) was enough to normalize both
hormones by wk 4. Serum osteocalcin levels and urinary deoxypyridinoline
excretion were also dose-dependently increased.
There was a significant decrease in body fat mass
with an increase of lean body mass at the lowest dose of 0.006
mg/kg
d. Blood glucose and serum insulin were increased significantly
at 4 wk only in the high-dose group (0.024 mg/kg).
Glucose tolerance was slightly impaired in 26–39% of patients
in all treatment groups as judged by oral glucose tolerance
tests, but there was no development of overt diabetes. The
major adverse event in the 20K-hGH treatment was peripheral
edema, similar to the incidence reported for 22K-hGH.
The data demonstrated that 20K-hGH had metabolic effects
comparable to those of 22K-hGH in humans. The results
suggest that 20K-hGH could be used to treat GH-deficient
patients, although further studies may be required to investigate
the optimum dose and superiority of 20K-hGH over
22K-hGH in a comparative study. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89:
1562–1571, 2004)
===================================================

The Effects of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone on
Body Composition and Glucose Metabolism in
HIV-Infected Patients with Fat Accumulation

JOAN C. LO, KATHLEEN MULLIGAN, MUSTAFA A. NOOR, JEAN-MARC SCHWARZ,
ROBERT A. HALVORSEN*, CARL GRUNFELD, AND MORRIS SCHAMBELAN
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine (J.C.L., K.M., M.A.N., J.-M.S., C.G., M.S.), and Department of
Radiology (R.A.H), University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143; and Department of
Nutritional Sciences (J.-M.S.), University of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720

GH has been proposed as a therapy for patients with HIVassociated
fat accumulation, but the pharmacological doses (6
mg/d) used have been associated with impaired fasting glucose
and hyperglycemia. In contrast, physiologic doses of GH
(
1 mg/d) in HIV-negativemenreduced visceral adiposity and
eventually improved insulin sensitivity, despite initially causing
insulin resistance. We conducted an open-label study to
evaluate the effects of a lower pharmacologic dose of GH (3
mg/d) in eight men with HIV-associated fat accumulation.
Oral glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and body composition
were measured at baseline, and 1 and 6 months. Six
patients completed 1 month and 5, 6 months of GH therapy.
IGF-I levels increased 4-fold within 1 month of GH treatment.
Over 6 months, GH reduced buffalo hump size and excess
visceral adipose tissue. Total body fat decreased (17.9
10.9
to 13.5
8.4 kg, P  0.05), primarily in the trunk region. Lean
body mass increased (62.9
6.4 to 68.3
9.1 kg, P  0.03).
Insulin-mediated glucose disposal, measured by a euglycemic
hyperinsulinemic clamp, declined at month 1 (49.7
27.5 to
25.6
6.6 nmol/kgLBM
min/pmolINSULIN/liter, P  0.04); values
improved at month 6 (49.2
22.6, P  0.03, compared with
month 1) and did not differ significantly from baseline. Similarly,
the integrated response to an oral glucose load worsened
at month 1 (glucose area under the curve 20.1
2.3 to
24.6
3.7 mmol
h/liter, P < 0.01), whereas values improved at
month 6 (22.1
1.5, P  0.02, compared with month 1) and did
not differ significantly from baseline. One patient developed
symptomatic hyperglycemia within 2 wk of GH initiation;
baseline oral glucose tolerance testing revealed preexisting
diabetes despite normal fasting glucose. In conclusion, GH at
3 mg/d resulted in a decrease in total body fat and an increase
in lean body mass in this open-label trial. While insulin sensitivity
and glucose tolerance initially worsened, they subsequently
improved toward baseline. However, the dose of GH
used in this trial was supraphysiologic and led to an increase
in IGF-I levels up to three times the upper normal range.
Because there are known adverse effects of long-term GH
excess, the effectiveness of lower doses of GH should be studied.
We also recommend a screening oral glucose tolerance
test be performed to exclude subjects at risk for GH-induced
hyperglycemia. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86: 3480–3487, 2001)
===============================================
The Effect of 30 Months of Low-Dose Replacement
Therapy with Recombinant Human Growth Hormone
(rhGH) on Insulin and C-Peptide Kinetics, Insulin
Secretion, Insulin Sensitivity, Glucose Effectiveness, and
Body Composition in GH-Deficient Adults
A. M. ROSENFALCK, S. MAGHSOUDI, S. FISKER, J. O. L. JØRGENSEN,
J. S. CHRISTIANSEN, J. HILSTED, AA VØLUND, AND S. MADSBAD
Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology (A.M.R., S.M., J.H., S.M.), Hvidovre University
Hospital, Copenhagen 2650 Hvidovre; Department of Endocrinology M (S.F., J.O.L.J., J.S.C.), Aarhus
University Hospital 8000 Aarhus C; and Novo Nordisk A/S (A.V.), 2880 Bagsværd, Denmark

ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term (30
months) metabolic effects of recombinant human GH (rhGH) given in
a mean dose of 6.7 mg/kgzday (5 1.6 IU/day), in 11 patients with adult
GH deficiency.
Glucose metabolism was evaluated by an oral glucose tolerance test
and an iv (frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance test) glucose tolerance
test, and body composition was estimated by dual-energy x-ray
absorptiometry.
Treatment with rhGH induced persistent favorable changes in
body composition, with a 10% increase in lean body mass (P , 0.001)
and a 12% reduction of fat mass (P , 0.002); however, the glucose
tolerance deteriorated significantly, and three patients developed
impaired glucose tolerance. Fasting insulin level (P , 0.003) and the
homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance score increased significantly,
indicating a deterioration in insulin sensitivity; whereas
the insulin sensitivity index, calculated from the frequently sampled
iv glucose tolerance test, only decreased slightly. The clearance of
C-peptide and insulin increased 100% and 60%, respectively, and the
prehepatic insulin secretion was tripled during rhGH treatment; but
related to the impairment in glucose tolerance, b-cell response was
still inappropriate.
Our conclusion is that long-term rhGH-replacement therapy inGH
deficiency adults induced a significant deterioration in glucose tolerance,
profound changes in kinetics of C-peptide, and insulin and
prehepatic insulin secretion, despite an increase in lean body mass
and a reduction of fat mass. Therefore, rhGH treatment may precipitate
diabetes in some patients already susceptible to the disorder.
(J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85: 4173–4181, 2000)

 

[Magick69]

I used growth non stop for 3 years and don’t agree with all that nonsense,

good for you and hope for your body bro

 

[floridalife]

when r u going to post on igf