SEATTLE, April 16 -- Human growth hormone is useful in adult patients for correction of endocrine deficiencies but not as a fountain of youth, reported investigators here.
Recombinant human growth hormone (rHGH) is actually underused in transition patients -- those who were treated for endocrine disorders in childhood but are now on the cusp of adulthood, said David Cook, M.D., of the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland.
But when the patient is an otherwise healthy adult who sees rHGH as a magic shield against the ravages of time, the evidence just isn't there, while evidence of potential harm is abundant, noted George Merriam, M.D., of the University of Washington here.
Dr. Cook and Dr. Merriam discussed the practical applications and pitfalls of human growth hormone in adults at a general session of the American Association for Clinical Endocrinologists meeting here.
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You may have seen the June AARP magazine article by Dr. Andrew Weil, the Debunker which gives the mistaken impression that there is only one medical publication (Rudman NEJM 1990) which reports the beneficial effects of growth hormone on the physical parameters of aging.
In reality there has been over 20 years of research with thousands of medical studies showing benefits from Growth Hormone therapy, and extremely high safety profile.
Growth Hormone is a patented FDA approved pharmaceutical with proven efficacy, and therefore Dr. Weil's "snake oil" label for growth hormone is hardly appropriate.
Benefits of (HGH) growth hormone include improved body composition, increased muscle and less body fat, improved bone density, improved wound healing, improved cognitive function, and improved sense of well being.
Burn victims heal faster with growth hormone and have increased muscle protein synthesis. Patients with Crohn's disease and short bowel syndrome show improved nutritional status with HGH treatment. Cardiac cachexia patients gain weight, get well and leave the hospital. Hip fracture patients heal with fewer complications.
The AARP Dr. Andrew Weil "the Debunker" article fails to tell us that our hormone levels decline dramatically after age 50, and by the age of 60 most adults have Growth Hormone levels indistinguishable from those of hypopituitary patients with organic lesions in the pituitary gland.
For more info and references, see
Dr. Andrew Weil Says Human Growth Hormone is "Snake Oil"
Jeffrey Dach MD
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