Endocrine Abstracts

Anecdotal evidence suggests that athletes have been misusing growth hormone (GH) for its anabolic, lipolytic, psychological and cardiovascular effects since the early 1980s, at least a decade before endocrinologists began to treat adults with GH deficiency. There have been on-going debates about whether GH is performance-enhancing. Although many of the early studies were negative, randomized controlled...

When humans are placed in a competitive setting, particularly in the sporting arena, they will attempt to gain an advantage over their opponent in order to win. When all legitimate methods have been exhausted and the athlete has reached their peak performance, there is a temptation for some to seek out pharmacological methods to improve performance yet further.The earliest records of doping in sport come from ancient times but with the advent of modern p...

There is widespread anecdotal evidence that GH has been misused by athletes, including adolescents, for its anabolic and lipolytic properties since the early 1980s, at least a decade before GH was used therapeutically by adult endocrinologists. Since then a number of high profile athletes have admitted using GH. Despite its widespread abuse, there is debate about whether GH is ergogenic. Until recently most scientific studies have not shown a performance enhancing effect but m...

Introduction: NICE recommends that pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes should be offered retinal assessment in the 1st and 3rd trimester by digital retinal imaging. Where retinopathy is already present, an additional assessment should be made in the 2nd trimester.Objectives: To assess the feasibility of retinal screening in pregnancy by a community based mobile retinal screening programme (MRSP).Methods: A retrospective audit...

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...

Introduction: GH is widely abused by athletes for its anabolic and lipolytic properties. As the tests for detecting GH abuse develop further, it is possible that athletes will exploit IGF1 as an alternative or additional doping agent. There is currently no evidence to suggest that IGF1 administration improves athletic performance.Objectives: To determine the effects of rhIGF1/rhIGFBP3 administration on body composition and physical fitness in recreationa...