Does human growth hormone increase lifespan or improve longevity?
Many symptoms being part of the Human-Growth-Hormone deficiency syndrome in adults like decrease in muscle mass and bone mineral content, increase in fat mass, and skin atrophy are observed also with aging. Indeed, short term trials with HGH administration to persons over 60 years old revealed that many of these symptoms could be reversed by growth hormone. However, reports of an association of high insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-concentrations and increased risk of prostate, lung, colon and breast cancer as well as a possible decrease of insulin sensitivity prohibit currently the use of human growth hormone in an attempt to reverse a normal ageing process. Prospective, randomized and placebo-controlled long-term trials are necessary to prove safety and efficacy of human growth hormone therapy in the aging population before it can be recommended. In addition, no data are available as to the right human growth hormone dose and the correct monitoring. Expectations of the society an
