Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2011) 25 P115

SFEBES2011 Poster Presentations Cytokines, growth factors, neuroendocrinology and behaviour (11 abstracts)

The effects of recombinant human IGF1/IGF binding protein-3 on lipid and glucose metabolism in recreational athletes

Nishan Guha 1 , Ioulietta Erotokritou-Mulligan 1 , Simon Nevitt 1 , Michael Francis 1 , Eryl Bassett 2 , Peter Sonksen 1 & Richard Holt 1


1University of Southampton School of Medicine, Southampton, UK; 2School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Kent, Kent, UK.


Introduction: Recombinant human IGF1 (rhIGF1) improves insulin sensitivity and glycaemic control when administered to people with diabetes. The effects of rhIGF1 on lipid metabolism in vivo are unclear.

Objectives: To determine the effects of rhIGF1/rhIGFBP3 administration on fasting lipids, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and glucose homeostasis in recreational athletes. This study was part of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial studying detection methods for IGF1 abuse.

Methods: The study received approval from the local ethics committee. 56 recreational athletes (age 18–30 years, 30 males, 26 females) were randomly assigned to receive placebo, low dose rhIGF1/rhIGFBP3 complex (30 mg/day) or high dose rhIGF1/rhIGFBP3 complex (60 mg/day) by subcutaneous injection for 28 consecutive days. Variables measured before and immediately after the treatment period were: fasting lipids, NEFA, glucose, insulin and HbA1c. The homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR) was used to estimate insulin sensitivity. Intra-individual changes were assessed using paired t-tests.

Results: No significant changes in serum lipids were observed in the placebo group. In both women and men treated with rhIGF1/rhIGFBP3, there were significant reductions in fasting triglycerides (mean decrease 0.13±0.06 mmol/l, P=0.025 in women; 0.24±0.08 mmol/l, P=0.01 in men). In women, but not in men, there were significant increases in total cholesterol (mean increase 0.47±0.12 mmol/l, P=0.001), HDL (mean increase 0.16±0.03 mmol/l, P<0.001) and LDL (mean increase 0.37±0.1 mmol/l, P=0.001). No changes in cholesterol:HDL ratio or fasting NEFA were observed. Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR decreased in both women and men treated with rhIGF1/rhIGFBP3; there was also a significant decrease in HbA1c in women (mean reduction 0.3±0.1%, P<0.001) but not in men.

Conclusions: Fasting triglycerides decrease in recreational athletes after the administration of rhIGF1/rhIGFBP3 for 28 days; these changes are associated with increased insulin sensitivity. RhIGF1/rhIGFBP3 appears to have a more pronounced effect on lipid and glucose homeostasis in women than in men.

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