New Developments in the Illegal Provision of Growth Hormone for “Anti-Aging” and Bodybuilding
- S. Jay Olshansky, PhD;
- Thomas T. Perls, MD, MPH
- Author Affiliations: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois at Chicago (Dr Olshansky); and Geriatrics Section, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- AGING
- CRIME
- DRUG THERAPY
- GROWTH HORMONE
- HUMAN BODY
- HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE
- MUSCLES
- SUBSTANCE-RELATED DISORDERS
A consequence of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's recent hearing on the Mitchell Report on steroid and growth hormone (hGH) use was recognition that the misguided use of hGH by professional athletes and entertainers contributes to the far more frequent and increasing problem of anti-aging clinics, Web sites, compounding pharmacies, and producers selling the drug to the general public for medically inappropriate uses.1 In the face of evidence of illegal distribution of hGH, in January 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an alert specifying that anti-aging, bodybuilding, and athletic enhancement are not approved indications for hGH.2
Systematic reviews have found that hGH supplementation does not significantly increase muscle strength or aerobic exercise capacity in healthy individuals.3 Clinical evidence does support the therapeutic administration of hGH for children and adults with appropriate clinical indications.4 However, extrapolating from this evidence to conclude that …
