Thanks Platypus. Good to keep in mind. Here some research on it for my record. The first study is funded by the NIH and its a two-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 65 men and women ranging in age from 60 to 81...
Effects of an Oral Ghrelin Mimetic on Body Composition and Clinical Outcomes in Healthy Older Adults
"Results: Daily administration of MK-677 significantly increased growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I levels to those of healthy young adults without serious adverse effects. Mean fat-free mass decreased in the placebo group but increased in the MK-677 group (change, 0.5 kg [95% CI, 1.1 to 0.2 kg] vs. 1.1 kg [CI, 0.7 to 1.5 kg], respectively; P 0.001), as did body cell mass, as reflected by intracellular water (change, 1.0 kg [CI, 2.1 to 0.2 kg] vs. 0.8 kg [CI, 0.1 to 1.6 kg], respectively; P 0.021). No significant differences were observed in abdominal visceral fat or total fat mass; however, the average increase in limb fat was greater in the MK-677 group than the placebo group (1.1 kg vs. 0.24 kg; P 0.001). Body weight increased 0.8 kg (CI, 0.3 to 1.8 kg) in the placebo group and 2.7 kg (CI, 2.0 to 3.5 kg) in the MK-677 group (P 0.003). Fasting blood glucose level increased an average of 0.3 mmol/L (5 mg/dL) in the MK-677 group (P 0.015), and insulin sensitivity decreased. The most frequent side effects were an increase in appetite that subsided in a few months and transient, mild lower-extremity edema and muscle pain. Lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased in the MK-677 group relative to baseline values (change, 0.14 mmol/L [CI, 0.27 to 0.01 mmol/L]; 5.4 mg/dL [CI, 10.4 to 0.4 mg/ dL]; P 0.026); no differences between groups were observed in total or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Cortisol levels increased 47 nmol/L (CI, 28 to 71 nmol/L (1.7 g/dL [CI, 1.0 to 2.6 g/dL]) in MK-677 recipients (P 0.020). Changes in bone mineral density consistent with increased bone remodeling occurred in MK-677 recipients. Increased fat-free mass did not result in changes in strength or function. Two-year exploratory analyses confirmed the 1-year results."
...and in the same journal some editorial cautionary comments:
Use of Growth Hormone Secretagogues to Prevent or Treat the Effects of Aging: Not Yet Ready for Prime Time
"...Nass and colleagues, in their rigorously conducted study, clearly found that sustained use of an oral GHS for 1 to 2 years will maintain a youthful growth hormone and IGF-I hormonal profile and augment fat-free (lean body) mass. However, as with other published studies using growth hormone, GHRH, or MK-677, no functional or quality-of-life benefits and some unwanted and worrisome adverse effects (such as increased insulin resistance and decreased glucose tolerance) were observed...
... Clearly, many questions about the potential utility and safety of an oral GHS in older persons remain unanswered. What might be the optimal intervention paradigm, for what clinical outcomes, and in what populations? Would long-term administration of MK-677 or other secretagogues improve physical and psychological functions and quality of life; have different effects according to age or racial or genetic predisposition; overstimulate the pituitary gland or central nervous system, with increased risk for pituitary neoplasms or neurobehavioral dysfunction; increase cancer frequency in older individuals, who are already at greater risk for malignant diseases; or supplant the less physiologic and more costly use of recombinant growth hormone or injectable GHRH or its analogues? At present, the clinical use of growth hormone axis manipulation in aged persons should be restricted to carefully controlled clinical studies and is not ready for prime time. However, Nass and colleagues’ findings raise many questions that we need to address..."
