Effectiveness of Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone in Reducing Abdominal Fat in People Who Are Obese

Summary

Obesity, a condition that occurs when a person has too much body fat, affects about 31% of people in the United States. It is associated with increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease. Abdominal obesity, in particular, is also associated with low levels of growth hormone, a hormone that affects rate of growth and the way the body uses energy. Growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) is a substance that makes the body naturally increase its own growth hormone levels. Administering GHRH to people who are obese may help return their growth hormone levels to normal and, in turn, may lead to reduced abdominal fat and improved cardiovascular function. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of synthetic GHRH in decreasing the amount of abdominal fat and improving cardiovascular function in people who are obese.

Timeline

Start

2008-07

Primary completion

2012-01

Completion

2012-01

Publications

• Stanley TL, Feldpausch MN, Murphy CA, Grinspoon SK, Makimura H. Discordance of IGF-1 and GH stimulation testing for altered GH secretion in obesity. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2014 Feb;24(1):10-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ghir.2013.11.001. Epub 2013 Nov 15.
• Makimura H, Murphy CA, Feldpausch MN, Grinspoon SK. The effects of tesamorelin on phosphocreatine recovery in obese subjects with reduced GH. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Jan;99(1):338-43. doi: 10.1210/jc.2013-3436. Epub 2013 Dec 20.
• Makimura H, Feldpausch MN, Rope AM, Hemphill LC, Torriani M, Lee H, Grinspoon SK. Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in obese subjects with reduced growth hormone secretion: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Dec;97(12):4769-79. doi: 10.1210/jc.2012-2794. Epub 2012 Sep 26.

Drugs

Indications