title: Growth hormone, somatomedins and men's health.
abstract: According to current basic science as well as the clinical literature, human growth hormone has become an important topic in the field of anti-aging medicine. It is well known that the administration of human growth hormone compensates for the dwarfism syndrome in growth hormone-deficient children and growth hormone is also established as a substitution therapy for adults with pituitary deficiency. The effects mediated by growth hormone comprise an increase in muscle mass, a decrease in body fat, improved physical condition, oxygen consumption and overall quality of life, an improvement of the ratio of high-density lipoprotein to low-density lipoprotein, as well as an increase in bone density. Due to the insulin antagonistic effect of growth hormone as well as its insulin-like growth factor-1-mediated mitogenic effect, there is reason to doubt the safety of administering growth hormone outside the framework of approved indications. In an ongoing study, we are evaluating whether growth hormone and somatomedins might be of importance in the regulation of male sexual performance, including penile erection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uckert
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Stief
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Jonas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006304:Health Status; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010413:Penis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013002:Somatomedins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I