Quality of life, body composition and muscle strength in adult growth hormone deficiency: the influence of growth hormone replacement therapy for up to 3 years.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over), published as a randomized controlled trial.

Adults with GH deficiency complain frequently of low energy levels, emotional lability and mental fatigue resulting in a low perceived quality of life (QOL).

The aims of this study were to determine the effects of replacement GH treatment on: (a) body composition and muscle strength and (b) QOL, using specifically selected and adapted measures.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 32 patients were involved.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults, both men and women.

This was followed by an open study of a further 12 months' GH treatment assessing QOL and muscle strength.

Thirty of the 32 adult patients with GH deficiency enrolled completed the initial 12-month study (10 male, mean age 33.5 years, mean (SD) stimulated serum GH response 3.0 mU/l (2.86)).

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

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.

Neither the patients nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over), so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

Some patients received a placebo instead of Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over), giving a reference point.

Nineteen patients then opted to continue GH treatment.

Of these, 13 patients were available for assessment after a further 12 months' and 24 months' treatment.

Health-related QOL was assessed using 2 specifically adapted scales for adults with GH deficiency: the Life Fulfillment Scale and the Impact Scale.

In addition 4 other self-rating questionnaires were used: Nottingham Health Profile, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Self Esteem Scale and Mental Fatigue Scale.

Body composition was assessed by DEXA and quadriceps muscle strength by measuring maximum voluntary contractions.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Body Composition, Growth Hormone, Health Status Indicators, Muscle Weakness and Quality of Life.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) in 32 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 13 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, all human trials.