Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old

Biosynthetic human growth hormone was administered for six months to 12 healthy men between 61 and 81 years old who had plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) less than 350 U per liter. A control group of nine men received no treatment. In the treatment group, the plasma IGF-I level rose to the youthful range of 500-1500 U per liter. This was accompanied by an 8.8 percent increase in lean body mass, a 14.4 percent decrease in adipose-tissue mass, a 1.6 percent increase in bone density, and a 7.1 percent increase in skin thickness