The Safety and Efficacy of Growth Hormone Secretagogues.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative literature review without systematic review methodology
PubMed 28400207 · doi:10.1016/j.sxmr.2017.02.004
What was done
The authors conducted a narrative literature review of clinical studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of growth hormone secretagogues (GHSs), including growth hormone-releasing peptides and the oral agent ibutamoren mesylate, in human subjects.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative figures or statistical values. GHSs stimulate pulsatile growth hormone secretion that remains subject to normal negative feedback mechanisms. Qualitatively, reviewed evidence suggests GHSs can improve growth velocity in children, stimulate appetite, enhance fat-free and lean mass in obesity and wasting conditions, reduce bone turnover, and improve sleep. GHSs were generally well tolerated, with potential adverse increases in blood glucose driven by reduced insulin sensitivity.
Why it matters
Exogenous growth hormone carries risks related to supra-therapeutic levels and disrupted feedback loops. GHSs represent an alternative therapeutic approach that may preserve endogenous physiological regulation, though clinical adoption requires clearer risk-benefit validation.
Limits
The abstract presents no quantitative data, effect sizes, or meta-analytic pooling. The underlying literature contains few long-term, rigorously controlled clinical trials, and critical long-term safety outcomes—such as cancer incidence, cardiovascular effects, and mortality—remain unmeasured.
Cited by
- supports Growth hormone and growth hormone secretagogues reduce insulin sensitivity and can elevate HbA1c levels.