Study summary · research use only
Prolonged oral treatment with MK-677, a novel growth hormone secretagogue, improves sleep quality in man
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This human study investigated prolonged treatment with the orally active growth hormone secretagogue MK-677 on sleep quality in young and older adults. Eight young subjects (18-30 years) followed a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design with three 7-day periods (5 and 25 mg MK-677 and placebo). Six older subjects (65-71 years) each had two 14-day periods (2 and 25 mg). The abstract reports that in young subjects, high-dose MK-677 was associated with about a 50% increase in stage IV duration and over a 20% increase in REM sleep versus placebo, with deviations from normal sleep decreasing from 42% to 8%. In older adults, MK-677 was associated with a nearly 50% increase in REM sleep and decreased REM latency. The authors describe possible changes in sleep quality and the hyposomatotropism of senescence.
Abstract
Previous studies have indicated the existence of common mechanisms regulating sleep and somatotropic activity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of prolonged treatment with a novel, orally active, growth hormone secretagogue (MK-677) on sleep quality in healthy young and older adults. Eight young subjects (18-30 years) followed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-period crossover design. Each subject participated in three 7-day treatment periods (with bedtime drug administration), presented in random (Latin square) order, and separated by at least 14 days. Doses were 5 and 25 mg MK-677 and matching placebo. Six older subjects, ages 65-71 years, each participated in two 14-day treatment periods (with bedtime drug administration) separated by a 14-day washout. Doses were 2 and 25 mg MK-677 during the first and second periods, respectively. Baseline sleep and hormonal data were obtained on the 2 days preceding the beginning of the first 14-day treatment period. In young subjects, high-dose MK-677 treatment resulted in an approximately 50% increase in the duration of stage IV and in a more than 20% increase in REM sleep as compared to placebo (p < 0.05). The frequency of deviations from normal sleep decreased from 42% under placebo to 8% under high-dose MK-677 (p < 0.03). In older adults, treatment with MK-677 was associated with a nearly 50% increase in REM sleep (p < 0.05) and a decrease in REM latency (p < 0.02). The frequency of deviations from normal sleep also decreased (p < 0.02). The present findings suggest that MK-677 may simultaneously improve sleep quality and correct the relative hyposomatotropism of senescence.
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