Study summary · research use only
Growth hormone (GH)-independent stimulation of adiposity by GH secretagogues
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
In this study of GH-deficient (lit/lit) and GH-intact mice, researchers compared twice-daily subcutaneous growth hormone (GH) and the GH secretagogue (GHS) ipamorelin on body fat. In lit/lit and +/lit mice, ipamorelin was associated with a small (15%) increase in body weight by 2 weeks not increased further by 9 weeks, while GH was associated with a larger increase in body weight in both groups. Ipamorelin was also associated with increased fat pad weight relative to body weight, and 2 weeks of GHS treatment (ipamorelin or GHRP-6) was associated with increased relative body fat by DEXA in GH-intact mice. GH decreased relative fat mass in lit/lit mice and had no effect in GH-intact mice, while GHS, but not GH, was associated with increased serum leptin and food intake in GH-intact mice.
Abstract
Growth hormone secretagogues (GHSs) stimulate growth hormone (GH) secretion, which is lipolytic. Here we compared the effects of twice daily s.c. treatment of GH and the GHS, ipamorelin, on body fat in GH-deficient (lit/lit) and in GH-intact (+/lit and +/+) mice. In +/lit and lit/lit mice ipamorelin induced a small (15%) increase in body weight by 2 weeks, that was not further augmented by 9 weeks. GH treatment markedly enhanced body weight in both groups. Ipamorelin also increased fat pad weights relative to body weight in both lit/lit and +/lit mice. Two weeks GHS treatment (ipamorelin or GHRP-6) also increased relative body fat, quantified by in vivo dual energy X-ray absorpiometry (DEXA) in GH-intact mice. GH decreased relative fat mass in lit/lit mice and had no effect in GH-intact mice. Treatment with GHS, but not GH, increased serum leptin and food intake in GH-intact mice. Thus, GHSs increase body fat by GH-independent mechanisms that may include increased feeding.
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