Human Growth Hormone Treatment for Osteoporosis and Emphysema

I’ve been doing some research into the potential benefits of human growth hormone therapy and Osteoporosis, and in my search I found hGH is suggested to also be beneficial to Emphysema patients. Before getting into my findings here is a little information on hGH and the diseases.

HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE
Growth hormone (GH) is a protein-based poly-peptide hormone. It stimulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. It is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide hormone that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior pituitary gland.

OSTEOPOROSIS
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density (BMD) is reduced, bone microarchitecture is disrupted, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered.
Osteoporosis is most common in women after menopause, when it is called postmenopausal osteoporosis, but may also develop in men, and may occur in anyone in the presence of particular hormonal disorders and other chronic diseases or as a result of medications, specifically glucocorticoids, when the disease is called steroid- or glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (SIOP or GIOP).

EMPHYSEMA
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lung that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the lung tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lung are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD (pulmonary refers to the lungs). Emphysema is called an obstructive lung disease because the destruction of lung tissue around smaller airways, called alveoli, makes these airways unable to hold their functional shape upon exhalation.

HGH & OSTEOPOROSIS

In one double blind, placebo-controlled study, 12 adults (10 males and 2 females) with isolated GH deficiency were treated with GH as a single daily subcutaneous injection (0.125 IU/kg.week for the first 4 weeks and subsequently at 0.25 IU/kg.week) for 1 yr. In this study, there was significant increases in bone mineral density of the spine at 6 months, and was still increasing after 12 months. There were no significant changes in the placebo group.

Another study in which 29 men, aged 27 – 62 with idiopathic osteoporosis were treated with Growth hormone over a 2 year period. They received either daily injections of 0.4 mg GH/d (group A, n = 14) or intermittent treatment with 0.8 mg GH/d for 14 d every 3 months (group B, n = 15). They were treated with GH for 24 months with a follow-up period of 12 months, also receiving calcium and vitamin D3 daily at 500mg and 400u respectively. After 2 years both Group A and Group B saw increases in total body Bone Mineral Density, 2.6% for Group A and 2.7% for Group B. Bone Mineral Content of the total body and lean body mass was also increased, while decreasing fat mass in both groups. After 12 months discontinued treatment, BMD and BMC had increased further in both groups.

These were just 2 example studies; many more have been done at different dosages with different variables, all showing increases in Bone Mineral Density, Bone Mineral Content and Enhanced Bone Formation. There were also increases in lean body mass and decreases in fat mass.

HGH & EMPHYSEMA

Although hGH is best known for its fat loss and muscle gaining properties due to its usage in professional sports. It appears to affect almost every cell in the body, including regenerating the heart, liver, lungs and kidneys as well as improving oxygen. This improvement in oxygen uptake has been largely beneficial to emphysema patients.

So not only can hGH prevent and reverse the effects of osteoporosis, but could also improve quality of life for suffering emphysema patients. I haven’t found any doctor conducted studies on its effects on emphysema patients, just blurbs by such such doctors as Dr. Ronald Klatz. If anyone has links to any studies on this please post them.

REFERENCES
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/76/5/1344
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/87/11/4900
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/81/1/44
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119644595/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoporosis
http://www.naturalnews.com/008333.html
http://hypericum.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/human-growth-hormone-hgh-medical-studies-ultra-potent-24-hour-seal/