The enigmatic role of growth hormone in age-related diseases, cognition, and longevity

Gabriela Colon^{1

2}, Tatiana Saccon^{2

3}, Augusto Schneider³, Marcelo B Cavalcante^{2

4}, Derek M Huffman⁵, Darlene Berryman^{6

7}, Ed List⁶, Yuji Ikeno^{8

9

10}, Nicolas Musi¹¹, Andrzej Bartke¹², John Kopchick^{6

7}, James L Kirkland¹³, Tamara Tchkonia¹³, Michal M Masternak¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA.
² Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd., Orlando, FL, 32827, USA.
³ Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
⁴ Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Fortaleza, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
⁵ Departments of Molecular Pharmacology, Medicine, and the Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
⁶ Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.
⁷ Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.
⁸ Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
⁹ Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
¹⁰ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
¹¹ Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio Geriatric, Research, Education and Clinical Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
¹² Departments of Internal Medicine and Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
¹³ Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
¹⁴ Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd., Orlando, FL, 32827, USA. michal.masternak@ucf.edu.

PMID: 31485887
PMCID: PMC6925094
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-019-00096-w

Review

The enigmatic role of growth hormone in age-related diseases, cognition, and longevity

Gabriela Colon et al. Geroscience. 2019 Dec.

. 2019 Dec;41(6):759-774.

doi: 10.1007/s11357-019-00096-w. Epub 2019 Sep 4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32304, USA.
² Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd., Orlando, FL, 32827, USA.
³ Faculdade de Nutrição, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
⁴ Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Fortaleza, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
⁵ Departments of Molecular Pharmacology, Medicine, and the Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 10461, USA.
⁶ Edison Biotechnology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.
⁷ Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.
⁸ Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
⁹ Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
¹⁰ Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
¹¹ Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, San Antonio Geriatric, Research, Education and Clinical Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
¹² Departments of Internal Medicine and Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
¹³ Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
¹⁴ Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd., Orlando, FL, 32827, USA. michal.masternak@ucf.edu.

PMID: 31485887
PMCID: PMC6925094
DOI: 10.1007/s11357-019-00096-w

Abstract

Growth hormone (GH) is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland and regulates various metabolic processes throughout the body. GH and IGF-1 levels are markedly reduced in older humans, leading some to hypothesize GH supplementation could be a viable "anti-aging" therapy. However, there is still much debate over the benefits and risks of GH administration. While an early study of GH administration reported reduced adiposity and lipid levels and increased bone mineral density, subsequent studies failed to show significant benefits. Conversely, other studies found positive effects of GH deficiency including extended life span, improved cognitive function, resistance to diseases such as cancer and diabetes, and improved insulin sensitivity despite a higher fat percentage. Thus, the roles of GH in aging and cognition remain unclear, and there is currently not enough evidence to support use of GH as an anti-aging or cognitive impairment therapy. Additional robust and longer-duration studies of efficacy and safety of GH administration are needed to determine if modulating GH levels could be a successful strategy for treating aging and age-related diseases.

Keywords: Aging; Cognition; GH deficiency; Growth hormone; IGF-1; Longevity.

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Figures

**Fig. 1**
The effects of GH deficiency or resistance on aging

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References

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The enigmatic role of growth hormone in age-related diseases, cognition, and longevity

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The enigmatic role of growth hormone in age-related diseases, cognition, and longevity

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