title: Effect of growth hormone and resistance exercise on muscle growth and strength in older men.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether growth hormone (GH) administration enhances the muscle protein anabolism associated with heavy-resistance exercise training in older men. Twenty-three healthy, sedentary men (67 +/- 1 yr) with low serum insulin-like growth factor I levels followed a 16-wk progressive resistance exercise program (75-90% max strength, 4 days/wk) after random assignment to either a GH (12.5-24 micrograms.kg-1.day-1; n = 8) or placebo (n = 15) group. Fat-free mass (FFM) and total body water increased more in the GH group. Whole body protein synthesis and breakdown rates increased in the GH group after treatment. However, increments in vastus lateralis muscle protein synthesis rate, urinary creatinine excretion, and training-specific isotonic and isokinetic muscle strength were similar in both groups, while 24-h urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion was unchanged after treatment. These observations suggest that resistance exercise training improved muscle strength and anabolism in older men, but these improvements were not enhanced when exercise was combined with daily GH administration. The greater increase in FFM with GH treatment may have been due to an increase in noncontractile protein and fluid retention.
authors.affiliation: Metabolism Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Yarasheski
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zachwieja
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bier
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition; D015444:Exercise; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008762:Methylhistidines / Q000652:urine; D024510:Muscle Development; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008762:Methylhistidines; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; C028118:3-methylhistidine