Growth Hormone Protects Against Osteoporotic Fractures Save

In a decade-long study of the effects of growth hormone (GH), 80 women with osteoporosis on HRT, between ages of 50-70 yrs were randomized to receive GH 1.0 U or GH 2.5 U recombinant human GH or placebo sc daily during 3 years and compared to an age-matched populatoin sample of (n=120).  All received calcium 750 mg and vitamin D 400 U and were followed up during 10 years. (Citation source http://buff.ly/1hjPKPT)

Patients who received higher doses of growth hormone had higher bone mineral density levels than the participants who received the lower dose or the placebo. After 10 years, the number of fractures decreased from 56% to 28% (P= .0003) in patients evenly distributed between groups. In controls, fractures increased from 8% to 32% (P= .0008). QoL did not change during GH treatment or during the 10-year follow-up and did not differ compared with controls.  More than half of the participants had fractured bones prior to the start of the study. 

The beneficial effects of growth hormone remained long after the treatment ceased.