The physiology of growth hormone and sport

The physiology of growth hormone and sport / W. Matthew Widdowson, Marie-Louise Healy, Peter H. Sönksen, James Gibney. - (Growth Hormone & IGF Research 19 (2009) 4 (August); p. 308-319)

  • PMID: 19505835
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.ghir.2009.04.023


Abstract

The growth hormone (GH)/ insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) axis exerts short-and long-term metabolic effects that are potentially important during exercise. Exercise is a potent stimulus to GH release and there is some evidence that the acute increase in GH is important in regulating substrate metabolism post-exercise. Regular exercise also increases 24-hour GH secretion rates, which potentially contributes to the physiologic changes induced by training. The effects of GH replacement in GH-deficient adults provide a useful model with which to study the effects of the more long-term effects of the GH/ IGF-I axis. There is convincing evidence that GH replacement increases exercise capacity. Measures of exercise performance including maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and ventilatory threshold (VeT) are impaired in GH deficiency and improved by GH replacement, probably through some combination of increased oxygen delivery to exercising muscle, increased fatty acid availability with glycogen sparing, increased muscle strength, improved body composition and improved thermoregulation. Administration of supraphysiologic doses of GH to athletes increases fatty acid availability and reduces oxidative protein loss particularly during exercise, and increases lean body mass. It is not known whether these effects translate to improved athletic performance, although recombinant human GH is known to be widely abused in sport. The model of acromegaly provides evidence that long-term GH excess does not result in improved performance but it is possible that a "window" exists in which the protein anabolic effects of supraphysiologic GH might be advantageous.

Original document

Parameters

Science
Review
Date
7 June 2009
People
Gibney, James
Healy, Marie-Louise
Sönksen, Peter H.
Widdowson, W. Matthew
Country
Ireland
United Kingdom
Language
English
Other organisations
Adelaide and Meath Hospital
St. James’s Hospital
University of Southampton School of Medicine
Doping classes
S2. Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors
Substances
Growth hormone (GH)
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1)
Medical terms
Health effects
Document category
Abstract
Document type
Pdf file
Date generated
23 April 2012
Date of last modification
26 January 2022
Category
  • Legal Source
  • Education
  • Science
  • Statistics
  • History
Country & language
  • Country
  • Language
Other filters
  • ADRV
  • Legal Terms
  • Sport/IFs
  • Other organisations
  • Laboratories
  • Analytical aspects
  • Doping classes
  • Substances
  • Medical terms
  • Various
  • Version
  • Document category
  • Document type
Publication period
Origin