Growth hormone not only promotes bone growth, it may also help control the appetite and boost the metabolism. Growth hormone levels have been found to be lower in obese people. These lowered levels can cause fat accumulation, muscle loss, and decreased energy. Now research reports that growth hormone injections helped obese people lose weight and improve their cholesterol levels.
The study, presented at the June 19-22, 2003 annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Philadelphia, investigated the effect of low doses of growth hormone on obese patients. Researchers at Saint Louis University administered daily injections of either growth hormone or a placebo to 39 obese patients, average age 36, for three months. The scientists calculated the growth hormone dose to replace the normal amount of growth hormone had the person not been obese. The participants also exercised and reduced their daily caloric intake by 500 calories.
Researchers found that the participants lost a little more than five pounds of body fat, not muscle mass. Furthermore, much of the fat was lost in the abdominal area. Findings also revealed that 19 percent of participants had improvements in HDL 'good' cholesterol levels. No changes were observed in the LDL or 'bad' cholesterol levels. High levels of HDL are known to help prevent heart disease.
"Treating obesity with growth hormone shows promise," says researcher Stewart Albert, MD, professor of internal medicine in the division of endocrinology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, in a news release. "Future studies of growth hormone may suggest whether the drug could help in weight loss by itself or when used with another medication that has been approved for weight loss therapy for obesity."
REFERENCES:
1. Daily Hormone Shot Helps Take Off Pounds, Research Shows. ScienceDaily, June 23, 2003:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/06/030623081820.htm
2. ENDO - New Research Shows Potential Benefit of Growth hormone for Obesity and Heart Disease, without Previously Feared Increased Risk of Cancer, Endocrine Society News Release:
http://www.endo-society.org/news/press/2003/200306192.cfm
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on September 9, 2006 02:56 PM
