Systematic Review: The Effects of Growth Hormone on Athletic Performance

Systematic Review: The Effects of Growth Hormone on Athletic Performance

Hau Liu, MD, MBA, MPH;
Dena M. Bravata, MD, MS;
Ingram Olkin, PhD;
Anne Friedlander, PhD;
Vincent Liu, MD;
Brian Roberts, MD;
Eran Bendavid, MD, MPH;
Olga Saynina, MA, MBA;
Shelley R. Salpeter, MD;
Alan M. Garber, MD, PhD; and
Andrew R. Hoffman, MD

From Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California; Stanford University, Stanford, California; and Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California.

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Figure. Study flow diagram.
GH = growth hormone. *Sum may be greater than total number excluded because some studies had multiple reasons for exclusion.
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Appendix Figure 1. Effect of growth hormone (GH) on body composition.
We used a random-effects model and a weighted mean difference effect size to compare GH-treated and non–GH-treated participants. The black diamond represents the summary effect size for the outcome of interest. Values greater than 0 indicate that results with GH treatment were higher than those without GH treatment. The studies are ordered by mean effect size. *Male. †Female. ‡High-dose group. §Low-dose group.
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Appendix Figure 2. Effect of growth hormone (GH) on strength.
We used a random-effects model and a weighted mean difference effect size to compare GH-treated and non–GH-treated participants. The black diamond represents the summary effect size for the outcome of interest. Values greater than 0 indicate that results with GH treatment were higher than those without GH treatment. The studies are ordered by mean effect size. 1RM = 1 repetition maximum.
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Appendix Figure 3. Effect of growth hormone (GH) on basal metabolism.
We used a random-effects model and a weighted mean difference effect size to compare GH-treated and non–GH-treated participants. The black diamonds represents the summary effect size for the outcome of interest. Values greater than 0 indicate that results with GH treatment were higher than those without GH treatment. The studies are ordered by mean effect size. RER = respiratory exchange rate; RQ = respiratory quotient. *Low-dose group; data obtained from reference 50. †Low-dose GH. ‡High-dose GH. Data obtained from reference 50. §High-dose GH.

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