Treatment of the somatopause: A perennial question

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) production decline in conjunction with the catabolic changes seen in normal aging, a developmental stage that has been termed the somatopause. While GH-replacement therapy for the somatopause would seem to be a reasonable therapeutic option, studies conducted over the past decades have shown that this treatment leads to only minor changes in body composition but no clinically significant improvements in health or well-being. Numerous adverse side effects have been well-documented. Despite the paucity of data supporting this therapy, many clinicians and wellness influencers still advocate its use, and anti-aging clinics frequently prescribe GH or GH-stimulating peptides. Most endocrinologists, however, agree that GH therapy for the somatopause cannot be recommended unless new carefully performed longitudinal studies demonstrate that this therapy can safely lead to important physiologic improvements in the lives of elderly patients.