Robust growth hormone responses to GH-releasing peptide 2 in adolescents.
Onuki. Takanori T; Hiroaki. Tadokoro T; Sawano. Kentaro K; Shibata. Nao N; Nyuzuki. Hiromi H; Ogawa. Yohei Y; Okada. Masayasu M; Sone. Hirohito H; Nagasaki. Keisuke K
Key Findings
- Adolescents with idiopathic GHD or short stature had very high GH peaks (around 90 ng/mL) after GHRP‑2.
- Those with organic/genetic GHD showed much lower peaks (about 3.4 ng/mL).
- Two patients would have been missed using the current GHRP‑2 test cut‑off, suggesting the threshold may be too high.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers using GHRP‑2 to boost GH, this study shows that teens generally respond strongly, but response can vary widely depending on underlying health. It also warns that standard diagnostic cut‑offs may not apply to everyone, so personal monitoring of GH levels (if possible) is advisable. The findings don’t change dosing for performance use, but they highlight variability in hormone response.
Summary
In teens, a test that gives a burst of growth hormone (GHRP‑2) shows a strong hormone spike in most kids with unexplained short stature, but a weaker spike in those with known genetic growth problems. The usual cut‑off for saying the test is positive might miss some kids who actually have growth hormone deficiency.
Abstract
GH-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP2) can be used for provocative growth hormone testing (GHT). Since it acts as a powerful stimulus for GH secretion, cut-off peak GH level in GHRP2 loading test (GHRP2T) is higher than in other GHT. Nevertheless, data on response at adolescents are limited. This report aimed to investigate peak GH levels in GHRP2T in adolescents. Clinical data of adolescents after onset of puberty who underwent GHRP2T at our institution from May 2010 to March 2023 were collected retrospectively. Subjects were classified into three groups according to underlying diseases. A total of 23 patients were included: 12 in organic or genetic GHD (o/gGHD) group, three in idiopathic GHD (iGHD) group, and eight in short stature (SS) group. The median GH peak levels were 3.4 ng/mL in o/gGHD group, 88.9 ng/mL in iGHD group, and 90.1 ng/mL in SS group, indicating a robust response of GH peak levels in iGHD and SS groups. Two patients exceeded the cut-off for GHRP2T but below for other GHT, indicating the current cut-off for GHRP2T may miss some GHD patients. The GH response to GHRP2T in adolescents except the o/gGHD group may be robustly responsive. For the correct diagnosis of GHD, the cut-off peak GH levels in GHRP2T in adolescents may require revisiting.
Study Information
pubmed
2024
2024-07-04T00:00:00.000Z
10.1515/jpem-2024-0115
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