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Effect of Growth Hormone on Liver Fat in Overweight Young Adults
This project is not recruiting.
Overview
What we are studying
Growth hormone is a hormone that regulates growth and metabolism. We know from previous studies that people who are obese often have reduced growth hormone levels. We also know from studies in animals that reductions in growth hormone change metabolism in the liver. We think that reductions in growth hormone that often come with obesity contributes to disease called fatty liver disease. Fatty liver disease means there is a build-up of fat in the liver, which sometimes causes inflammation and damage to liver cells. Healthy nutrition and exercise work to decrease fatty liver, but there are not many other treatments right now. We are doing this study to see if growth hormone might work as a treatment for fatty liver disease in some people. We are hoping to study young adults ages 18-29y who are obese and have reductions in growth hormone secretion as well as an increase in liver fat. (We will test these things as part of the first study visit.) We will randomly assign half of the people in the study to receive growth hormone, which is given by injection using a pen device with a small needle. The other half of people will be randomly assigned not to receive any medication. People will participate in the study for 6 months, and we will see if, after 6 months, the people who got growth hormone have had improvements in their liver fat compared to the people who didn't get growth hormone.
Why it is important
What we hope to accomplish
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Principal Investigator
Who can participate
Men and women between the ages of 18-29 years old who are overweight/obese. (Body mass index needs to be above 30 kilogram per square meter.) People in the study should have signs of reduced growth hormone and increased liver fat -- we will test both of these things at the first study visit. The following things would make someone NOT eligible for the study: Drinking an average of more than 2 drinks/day for women or 3 drinks/day for men; Having diabetes or using insulin or pills for diabetes; Using steroids; Having alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, Wilson’s disease, hemochromatosis, or autoimmune hepatitis; Having hepatitis B or hepatitis C; Weighing less than 110 pounds; Not being able to have an MRI scan; Using weight loss medications or having weight loss surgery in the past; Being pregnant or breastfeeding; Having a history of cancer
Healthy Volunteers
Healthy volunteers are eligible for this study
What you may be asked to do
Have an MRI scan to see how much liver fat they have. Have tests of their growth hormone levels. Do an oral glucose tolerance test, which is a 2 hour test that measures blood sugar.
Project activities may include:
- Blood draw
- Injection or IV
- Medication
- MRI scan
- Survey
Estimated Time Commitment
8 visits over 6 months
What You May Get
Reimbursement for the cost of local transportation and parking. Up to $325 in compensation for coming to study visits.
Location
Massachusetts General Hospital Clinical Research Center
55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114
Travel
- Accessible by public transportation
- Parking reimbursed
- Local travel reimbursed
Travel and Parking Details
Additional Information
Study Phase
Phase 1: This project studies the safety of a medication or treatment, usually on healthy volunteers. It examines the medication or treatment’s effects on the body and looks for side effects.
Funding Source
- Industry