| Is there a relationship between HGH and | | | | Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Axis in Patients with |
| fibromyalgia (FMS)? HGH, or human growth | | | | Fibromyalgia Syndrome"), and other work |
| hormone, is a hormone produced by the pituitary | | | | published in the same journal (Landis et al, 2001: |
| gland. Though blood levels of the hormone decline | | | | "Decreased Nocturnal Levels of Prolactin and |
| naturally as we age, particularly after full growth is | | | | Growth Hormone in Women with Fibromyalgia") |
| attained, both children and adults can suffer from | | | | reports that the release of HGH from the |
| a deficiency of this hormone. In recent years, it | | | | pituitary is decreased in women with fibromyalgia |
| has been widely suggested that artificially | | | | during sleep. This last finding is significant because |
| increasing adult blood levels of human growth | | | | the natural release of HGH is highest during sleep |
| hormone can ward off both visible effects of | | | | at all ages. |
| aging and the onset of chronic health problems | | | | Despite the documented correlations between |
| associated with being older. | | | | HGH and fibromyalgia, the medical community |
| Naturally, these claims lead to disagreements | | | | remains firmly adamant that there is insufficient |
| about what constitutes an HGH deficiency. Are all | | | | evidence to support HGH treatment for |
| adults, by definition, deficient in human growth | | | | fibromyalgia sufferers. The weight of medical |
| hormone simply because their HGH levels have | | | | evidence to date simply doesn't support it. In fact, |
| dropped? Some HGH treatment proponents | | | | although growth hormone therapy has been |
| suggest that many chronic diseases, such as | | | | proposed for more two dozen medical conditions, |
| fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, even | | | | it is approved for only five: clinically proven |
| obesity, are linked to low levels of growth | | | | growth hormone deficiency of childhood or |
| hormone and can be treated with HGH injections. | | | | adulthood (and here, deficiency is defined by |
| This is where there is a proposed link between | | | | established normal levels in healthy adults), AIDS |
| HGH and fibromyalgia - the symptoms of FMS | | | | wasting, chronic renal failure, Prader-Willi |
| are intriguingly similar to those of documented | | | | syndrome, and Turner syndrome. |
| growth hormone deficiency. | | | | A publication by the American Journal of Managed |
| Fibromyalgia is a chronic (long term) illness | | | | Care (Cook and Owens, Oct 2004: "Developing a |
| characterized by fatigue, muscle pain, and sleep | | | | Rational Approach for the Use of Growth |
| disturbance. It is more common in women than in | | | | Hormone in Nonpediatric Patients") stressed the |
| men, and usually begins after the age of 20. | | | | importance of limiting HGH therapy to those |
| Scientific study does indicate that there is some | | | | conditions for which there is solid medical evidence |
| relationship between HGH and fibromyalgia: in | | | | backed up by clinical trials, and the necessity of |
| 1999, Leal-Cerro et al showed that fibromyalgia | | | | using reliable and accurate medical tests to |
| patients produced less human growth hormone | | | | diagnose growth hormone deficiency. Though |
| than normal subjects (Journal of Clinical | | | | future medical research may clarify the |
| Endocrinology and Metabolism, "The Growth | | | | relationship between HGH and fibromyalgia, for |
| Hormone (GH)-Releasing Hormone - GH - | | | | now, the pieces of the puzzle just aren't there. |