New Study: Growth Hormone Does Not Boost Exercise Performance

Some bodybuilders use growth hormone (GH) to gain a competitive edge, but what are the real benefits? A study just published in Growth Hormone & IGF Research found that GH administration elicits significant changes in body composition, but does not boost exercise performance.

The new study, titled “Impact of GH administration on athletic performance in healthy young adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials,” looked at published studies on the effect of GH administration on body composition, substrate metabolism and athletic performance in healthy, young subjects. While the illicit use of growth hormone (GH) for performance enhancement among athletes is prevalent, there is not a lot of evidence of GH’s benefits in younger and fit individuals. The researchers found that GH elicits “significant changes in body composition and lipolysis,” but does not significantly improve either muscle strength or exercise capacity.

The researchers concluded that administration of GH significantly increased lean body mass and decreased fat mass. GH also increased the exercising levels of glycerol and free fatty acids, but did not alter the respiratory quotient during exercise. GH significantly increased anaerobic exercise capacity in the only study that investigated this, but did not improve muscle strength or maximum oxygen uptake over weeks to months. (Growth Hormone & IGF Research, June 2017; volume 34, pages 38-44).

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