Scientists Warn of Risks From Growth Hormone
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New studies published this year, however, offer the strongest indication yet that lower levels of a compound related to growth hormone called insulin-like growth factor-1, or IGF-1, are related to longevity and lower risk of cancer as people reach old age... That levels of testosterone, estrogen, growth hormone and other biological chemicals fall with age is well known among medical professionals. But whether replacing or supplementing hormones is good for the health of an aging individual is a complex question.
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HGH prompts the liver and other organs to make IGF-1, which affects many tissues and organs in the body. Studies usually measure IGF-1 rather than growth hormone directly because IGF-1 levels remain more constant. The Food and Drug Administration has approved many synthetic growth hormone products for treatment of people who need more in their systems. But since 2010 the agency has monitored people receiving treatment due to data suggesting that adults who were treated with HGH during childhood had a 30% increased risk of early death compared with the general population. The FDA continues to believe the benefits outweigh the risks in that population, according to its website.
Also, even supposed antiaging benefits may not truly be healthy. There's evidence that the increased muscle from growth hormone doesn't actually increase strength. Growth of muscle alone due to HGH use won't necessarily improve functioning if the well-worn neural pathways to the brain aren't repaired. And growth hormone does stimulate cartilage growth, but this can actually cause carpal tunnel syndrome in older people, says William Sonntag, director of the Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging.
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A new study is among those offering better evidence that lower growth hormone is linked with longevity. Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, and his team, published the study in Cell Metabolism in March. They found that in those aged 65 and older, people with higher IGF-1 levels showed a fourfold increased risk for cancer and 75% increase in overall mortality compared with those with lower levels.
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http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304179704579459290223091978
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