Growth hormone responses to GH-releasing peptide (GHRP-6) in hypothyroidism

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial paper looks at Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) and GHRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone).

The mechanisms involved in these alterations are not yet fully understood.

GHRP-6 is a synthetic hexapeptide that releases GH both in vivo and in vitro.

Its mechanism of action is unknown, but there is evidence that this peptide acts as a functional somatostatin antagonist at pituitary level.

Who Took Part

The study group was 6 patients.

The age groups tagged for this paper are adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

Eleven patients with primary hypothyroidism were compared with 10 control subjects.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

GH, TSH and free T4 were measured by immunofluorometric assay and IGF-1 by radioimmunoassay.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Growth Hormone, Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone, Hormones, Hypothyroidism, Oligopeptides, Thyrotropin and Thyroxine.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) and GHRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone) in 6 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

Its findings take up roughly 7 sentences of the abstract and are left out here on purpose; the source paper is the place to read them.

The publication is from 1997 (Clinical endocrinology), a journal based in England.

More context: the Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) compound page and the GHRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone) compound page, all human trials.