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Growth hormone and aging

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Abstract

The potential usefulness of growth hormone (GH) as an anti-aging therapy is of considerable current interest. Secretion of GH normally declines during aging and administration of GH can reverse age-related changes in body composition. However, mutant dwarf mice with congenital GH deficiency and GH resistant GH-R-KO mice live much longer than their normal siblings, while a pathological elevation of GH levels reduces life expectancy in both mice and men. We propose that the actions of GH on growth, development, and adult body size may serve as important determinants of aging and life span, while the age-related decline in GH levels contributes to some of the symptoms of aging.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University, School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL, 62901-6512

    Andrzej Bartke Ph.D., Beth Kinney, Julie Mattison, Chris Wright & Steven Hauck

  2. Department of Physiology, University of North Dakota, School of Medicine, Edwin James Research Center, 501 N. Columbia Road, Grand Forks, ND, 58202-9037

    Holly Brown-Borg

  3. Molecular Physiology and Genetics Section, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD, 20892

    Julie Mattison

  4. Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701

    Karen Coschigano & John Kopchick

  5. Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701

    John Kopchick

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  1. Andrzej Bartke Ph.D.
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  2. Holly Brown-Borg
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  3. Beth Kinney
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Correspondence to Andrzej Bartke Ph.D..

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Bartke, A., Brown-Borg, H., Kinney, B. et al. Growth hormone and aging. AGE 23, 219–225 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-000-0021-x

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