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Review
. 2022 Nov 23:2022:8739289.
doi: 10.1155/2022/8739289. eCollection 2022.

Growth Hormone Response to L-Arginine Alone and Combined with Different Doses of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Parvin Goli  1 , Maryam Yazdi  1 , Motahar Heidari-Beni  2 , Roya Kelishadi  1
Affiliations
Review

Growth Hormone Response to L-Arginine Alone and Combined with Different Doses of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Parvin Goli et al. Int J Endocrinol. .

Abstract

Background: Arginine (ARG) can modulate growth hormone (GH) release by suppressing its endogenous inhibitory regulator, somatostatin. ARG also induces the release of the GH-releasing hormone (GHRH). This study aims to review the effects of L-arginine supplementation alone and combined with GHRH in different doses on GH secretion.

Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, an electronic literature search was conducted on Medline database (PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science databases. All eligible studies were randomized clinical trials that reported the effects of ARG supplementation alone or with GHRH on GH levels. Mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed as the effect size.

Results: Meta-analyses showed significant effects of ARG alone on GH release (MD = 10.07, 95% CI: 7.87, 12.28). Moreover, the response of GH was greater with ARG in combination with GHRH (MD = 24.96, 95% CI: 17.51, 32.42). There was no significant difference between the patients and healthy individuals and between oral and injection use of ARG. The systematic review revealed the important role of ARG in combination with other amino acids on GH secretion in patients with GH deficiency.

Conclusion: This study revealed that in GH-deficient individuals, high doses of ARG supplementation in combination with GHRH and/or other amino acids might have potential therapeutic effects on increasing GH concentrations. These findings propose that ARG supplementation can be considered as a potential stimulator in management of GH deficiency.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of the study selection process for this systematic review and meta-analysis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot of the effects of arginine (ARG) on the growth hormone (GH) level. The individual effect sizes are identified as mean difference (MD) with lower and upper limits (95% CIs) for each study. The overall summary effect sizes of the meta-analysis are noted as a diamond.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scatter plot of ARG dosage vs. mean difference of posttreatment GH level from baseline. The smoothed line was fitted using the LOWESS method.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plot of the effects of ARG + GHRH on the GH level. The individual effect sizes are identified as mean difference (MD) with lower and upper limits (95% CIs) for each study. The overall summary effect sizes of the meta-analysis are noted as a diamond.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Funnel plot of MDs of the GH level of post- and pre-treatment with ARG.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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