Effects of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 deficiency on ageing and longevity.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review summarizing animal models and descriptive clinical syndromes without systematic search methods
What was done
This narrative review synthesized literature on the effects of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) deficiency and excess on aging and lifespan. Evidence was evaluated across human clinical conditions (isolated GH deficiency, multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies, Laron syndrome, and acromegaly) and animal models (Ames and Snell dwarf mice, GH receptor knockout mice, and GH-transgenic mice).
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data or effect sizes. Qualitatively, human GH/IGF-1 deficiencies display physical signs of early aging (thin and wrinkled skin, obesity, hyperglycemia, and osteoporosis) but reach old age without an apparent reduction in lifespan. Rodent models of genetic GH/IGF-1 deficiency (Ames, Snell, and GH receptor knockout mice) exhibit statistically significant increases in longevity relative to normal controls. Conversely, GH excess in both GH-transgenic mice and human acromegalic patients is associated with premature death.
Why it matters
This work highlights the differential impact of the somatotropic axis on aging features versus survival, showing that GH/IGF-1 deficiency produces physical signs of aging without reducing human lifespan, while extending longevity in animal models.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review with no sample sizes, effect sizes, statistical bounds, or systematic literature search methodology reported. Human observations rely on rare clinical syndromes, which may not directly map to the longevity extension seen in controlled rodent models.
Cited by
- context Models and cohorts with growth hormone deficiency exhibit extended lifespan.