STUDY SHOWS THAT GROWTH
HORMONE DOES NOT IMPROVE EXERCISE CAPACITY
Growth hormone is used widely in sports, but recent studies conducted in
Sweden show that the use of growth hormone does not improve exercise
capacity; results being presented at a meeting on exercise and physiology by
international scientists during Olympics
Portland, ME — Growth hormone (GH) is used widely as a doping agent
in sports, but little is known about its short-term effects. A study
conducted in Goteborg, Sweden, demonstrates that the use of GH does not
improve exercise capacity, says Kenneth Caidahl, MD, Ph.D. Dr. Caidahl, of
the Department of Clinical Physiology at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in
Goteborg, Sweden, will present his findings at the American Physiological
Society's Intersociety Meeting, “The Integrative Biology of Exercise,” being
held September 20-23, 2000 in Portland, ME.
Methodology: Dr. Caidahl and his
colleagues studied the effects of growth hormone on exercise capacity among
30 healthy volunteers (15 females, 15 males) between the ages of 19 and 35
in a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study. Exercise
echocardiography, with oxygen uptake measurement, was performed before and
after 28 days of treatment. Doppler-echocardiographic recordings were also
obtained.
Results: The results of the study
demonstrated that there was no improvement in exercise capacity with either
low- or high-doses of growth hormone. Maximum work load and maximum oxygen
consumption did not differ between the groups, nor did it change from
baseline measurements to those taken 28 days later.
Conclusion: The research indicates that,
despite its prevalent use as a doping agent in sports, there are no findings
to indicate a short term beneficial effect of growth hormone in young
healthy individuals.
***
Physiology research in exercise has
been responsible for demonstrating that women are physiologically capable of
running the marathon without the event being detrimental to their health and
well being; the necessity of competing in a hydrated state, seeking frequent
fluid replacement during endurance events; being acclimatized to heat before
competition; scheduling competition in the early or late hours of the day;
and providing fluids that contain a fixed concentration of glucose during
the long distance events; the advantages to athletes -- particularly
swimmers -- of tapering in their training before competition; the importance
of the specificity concept in athletic training schedules and the acceptance
by coaches of team sports (basketball and volleyball, among others) that
specific power and strength training principles must be followed to enhance
performance. The American Physiological Society is devoted to fostering
scientific research, education, and the dissemination of scientific
information. By providing a spectrum of physiological information, the
Society plays a significant role in the progress of science and the
advancement of knowledge.
Editor's Note: For further
information or to schedule an interview, contact Donna Krupa at
703.527.7357; cell: 703.967.2751; or at
djkrupa1@aol.com; or visit the APS website at
www.the-aps.org.
