Effect of a GnRH injection on kisspeptin levels in girls with suspected precocious puberty: a randomized-controlled pilot study.
Rodanaki. Maria M; Rask. Eva E; Lodefalk. Maria M
Key Findings
- GnRH injection did not significantly lower kisspeptin levels compared to placebo
- Baseline kisspeptin levels in girls varied widely (≈10‑200 pg/mL)
- A trend suggested kisspeptin might be related to glucose levels, but it was not statistically solid
Practical Outcomes
- For DIY health enthusiasts, this pilot study doesn’t provide a new protocol or dosage for kisspeptin use. It suggests that manipulating GnRH won’t reliably change kisspeptin, and any metabolic link needs more research. Until larger studies confirm benefits, there’s no actionable step to take.
Summary
The study looked at whether giving GnRH to young girls changes their kisspeptin levels. It found no clear drop in kisspeptin after GnRH, and kisspeptin levels varied a lot between individuals. A possible link between kisspeptin and blood sugar was hinted but not proven.
Abstract
Kisspeptin plays a major role in the onset of puberty by stimulating the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons. The aim of this study was to investigate whether GnRH inhibits kisspeptin secretion via a negative feedback mechanism and potential associations between kisspeptin levels and other hormones of importance for pubertal onset. Thirteen girls with suspected central precocious puberty underwent a GnRH stimulation test twice in a randomized, placebo-controlled manner. Blood was sampled up to 150 min after an IV injection of either Relefact LHRH<sup>®</sup> or saline. The levels of kisspeptin, acylated ghrelin, ultrasensitive oestradiol, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), insulin and glucose were analysed. Baseline kisspeptin levels ranged from 9.9 to 201.6 pg/mL. Neither area under the curve for kisspeptin levels nor peaks were significantly lower after the GnRH injection compared to placebo. Baseline kisspeptin and glucose levels tended to be associated (rho=0.55, p=0.051) but no other associations were found between kisspeptin and other hormones. Basal levels of kisspeptin vary widely in young girls. We found no evidence of a negative feedback mechanism of GnRH on kisspeptin in this small pilot study. The suggested association between kisspeptin and glucose levels needs further investigations.
Study Information
pubmed
2025
2025-01-24T00:00:00.000Z
10.1515/jpem-2024-0606
12