Endocrine Abstracts

Growth hormone (GH) secretion peaks in early adult life and declines progressively with age. People over the age of 60 have levels of GH secretion comparable to those in younger people with severe GH deficiency from pituitary tumours or their treatment. GH-dependent markers such as IGF-I, BP3, ALS and the collagen markers P-III-P, PICP, ITCP and osteocalcin all fall with age in parallel with the fall in GH secretion. Although exercise is one of the major stimuli to GH secretion, the fall in GH secretion and these GH markers is as marked in elite athletes as in the general population.

Many of the changes in body composition and metabolism that are seen with ageing are also seen in severe GH deficiency due to pituitary pathology and form the basis of the syndrome of adult GH deficiency. Many of the changes seen with ageing have been shown to be reversible with administration of GH and in some countries GH has become a much prescribed drug in the battle against ageing. The scientific evidence that GH is beneficial in combating ageing is not robust. Are these people spending a large amount of money on something with no value?

GH abuse in sport has been prevalent since the early 1980's, long before endocrinologists realised the importance of GH in normal adult life. Is this because athletes find that GH is a performance enhancing substance or that it prolongs their active sporting life?