Contrary to What
Many Seniors Think, Growth Hormone May Not Be Best Way to Slow Aging
New research
says un-growth hormone increases longevity; could lead to new way to
fight aging
Dec. 24, 2010
A new study indicates that senior citizens who take growth hormone in
hopes of extending their lives may be doing more harm that good. A
compound which acts in the opposite way as growth hormone can reverse
some of the signs of aging, the researchers say.
The finding may
be contrary to what many older people who take growth hormone, thinking
it will help revitalize them, intuitively expect.
The findings are
significant, says John E. Morley, M.D., study co-investigator and
director of the divisions of geriatric medicine and endocrinology at
Saint Louis University School of Medicine, because people sometimes take
growth hormone, believing it will be the fountain of youth.
"Many older
people have been taking growth hormone to rejuvenate themselves," Morley
said. "These results strongly suggest that growth hormone, when given to
middle aged and older people, may be hazardous."
The scientists
studied the compound MZ-5-156, a "growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)
antagonist." They conducted their research in the SAMP8 mouse model, a
strain engineered for studies of the aging process.
Overall, the
researchers found that MZ-5-156 had positive effects on oxidative stress
in the brain, improving cognition, telomerase activity (the actions of
an enzyme which protects DNA material) and life span, while decreasing
tumor activity.
Human
growth hormone (HGH): Does it slow aging?
Human growth hormone is described by some as the
key to slowing the aging process. Before you sign up, get the
facts and understand proven ways to promote healthy aging.
Growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland
a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain to fuel
childhood growth and help maintain tissues and organs throughout
life. Beginning in middle age, however, the pituitary gland
slowly reduces the amount of growth hormone it produces. This
natural slowdown has prompted an interest in the use of
synthetic human growth hormone (HGH) to stave off the realities
of old age. However, there's little evidence to suggest human
growth hormone can help otherwise healthy adults regain youth
and vitality.
Read more at Mayo Clinic site
MZ-5-156, like
many GHRH antagonists, inhibited several human cancers, including
prostate, breast, brain and lung cancers. It also had positive effects
on learning, and is linked to improvements in short-term memory.
The
antioxidant actions led to less oxidative stress, reversing cognitive
impairment in the aging mouse.
William A.
Banks, M.D., lead study author and professor of internal medicine and
geriatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine in
Seattle, said the results lead the team "to determine that antagonists
of growth hormone-releasing hormone have beneficial effects on aging."
The study team
included as its corresponding author Andrew V. Schally, M.D., Ph.D., a
professor in the department of pathology and division of
hematology/oncology at the University of Miami Miller School of
Medicine.
Their research
was published in the Dec. 6 online edition of the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences.
Established in
1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of
awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The
school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical
research, and provides health care on a local, national and
international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and
treatments in five key areas: cancer, infectious disease, liver disease,
aging and brain disease and heart/lung disease.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
Dec. 24, 2010
A new study indicates that senior citizens who take growth hormone in
hopes of extending their lives may be doing more harm that good. A
compound which acts in the opposite way as growth hormone can reverse
some of the signs of aging, the researchers say.