Low-dose Growth Hormone (GH) trial to assess insulin sensitivity and cortisol in GH-deficient adults.

Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency (AGHD) is associated with metabolic disturbances, including impaired insulin sensitivity. Current management often focuses on GH replacement, but the precise mechanisms by which GH influences glucose metabolism and steroid hormone handling, particularly at lower doses, remain unclear. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), a key mediator of GH action, is hypothesized to play a crucial role in improving insulin sensitivity. Understanding these interactions is vital for optimizing therapeutic strategies and minimizing potential side effects of GH treatment. This study aims to fill the knowledge gap regarding low-dose GH's impact on these critical endocrine pathways.

This randomized, placebo-controlled study will enroll an equal number of men and women with confirmed GH deficiency who have not recently received GH treatment. Participants will be randomized to receive either low dose GH or placebo injections for 3 months. Assessments will occur before, during, and after treatment, including whole-body and abdominal fat scans, muscle and liver fat measurements, and blood tests for cortisol levels. Fat tissue biopsies will analyze IGF-I density in muscle, and blood tests will examine insulin sensitivity. The study will use Genotropin and Genotropin pen devices.