Study summary · research use only
Growth Hormone Secretagogue Treatment in Hypogonadal Men Raises Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Levels
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This retrospective review examined medical records of 105 human men on testosterone therapy seeking increased lean body mass and fat loss, who were prescribed 100 mcg of GHRP-6, GHRP-2, and sermorelin (SERM) three times daily; 14 men met strict inclusion criteria based on compliance. Serum IGF-1, T, free T, estradiol, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone were measured. Mean age was 33.2 (2.9) years, baseline IGF-1 was 159.5 (26.7) ng/mL, and mean treatment duration was 134 (88) days. Mean posttreatment IGF-1 was 239.0 (54.6) ng/mL (p < .0001). Three of the 14 men were on an aromatase inhibitor and/or tamoxifen before treatment, and 4 more were coadministered these during treatment; inhibition of estrogen production or estrogen receptor blockade was associated with smaller IGF-1 increases.
Abstract
Realizing the reported misuse of human growth hormone (GH), investigation of a safe alternative mechanism for increasing endogenous GH is needed. Several GH secretagogues are available, including GH-releasing peptides (GHRPs) GHRP-2 and GHRP-6, and the GH-releasing hormone analog, sermorelin (SERM). Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) serves as a surrogate marker for GH. Here, the effect of GHRP/SERM therapy on IGF-1 levels is evaluated. A retrospective review of medical records was performed for 105 men on testosterone (T) therapy seeking increases in lean body mass and fat loss who were prescribed 100 mcg of GHRP-6, GHRP-2, and SERM three times daily. Compliance with therapy was assessed, and 14 men met strict inclusion criteria. Serum hormone levels of IGF-1, T, free T (FT), estradiol (E), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were evaluated. Mean (SD) age of the cohort was 33.2 (2.9) years, and baseline IGF-1 level was 159.5 (26.7) ng/mL. Mean (SD) duration of continuous GHRP/SERM treatment was 134 (88) days. Mean posttreatment IGF-1 level was 239.0 (54.6) ng/mL ( p < .0001). Three of the 14 men were on an aromatase inhibitor and/or tamoxifen prior to treatment and another 4 men were coadministered an aromatase inhibitor and/or tamoxifen during treatment. Inhibition of E production or estrogen receptor blockade resulted in smaller increases in IGF-1 levels. GHRP/SERM therapy increases serum IGF-1 levels with strict compliance to thrice-daily dosing. The results suggest that combination therapy may be beneficial in men with wasting conditions that can improve with increased GH secretion.
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