Hormonal
Genetic deficiency or resistance to Growth Hormone (GH) and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling extends longevity and healthspan in laboratory mice.
This research highlights a biological trade-off: reducing GH/IGF-1 signaling extends lifespan in mice but comes with a cost of smaller body size and reduced fertility. While this suggests that lower hormone levels might be protective against age-related diseases, it does not currently support GH supplementation for longevity in humans, as excess GH may actually reduce life expectancy. The focus should be on understanding the downstream metabolic benefits rather than simply maximizing hormone levels.
Surprisingly, deficiency in GH signaling delays aging and remarkably extends longevity in laboratory mice. In GH-deficient and GH-resistant animals, the “healthspan” is also extended with delays in cognitive decline and in the onset of age-related disease.
Why this rating
Strong evidence in multiple mouse models (Ames, Snell, Laron), but no evidence of increased longevity in humans yet.
Source
Somatotropic Signaling: Trade-Offs Between Growth, Reproductive Development, and Longevity
Andrzej Bartke et al. · Physiological Reviews · 2013
DOI 10.1152/physrev.00006.2012
More from this paper
- Reduced GH/IGF-1 signaling protects against age-related diseases such as diabetes and cancer in both mice and humans with GH deficiency/resistance.Good
- Reduced GH/IGF-1 signaling extends longevity in mice through mechanisms including enhanced stress resistance, reduced inflammation, and improved insulin signaling.Good
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