Growth hormone can backfire

Created: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 Print Taking growth hormone to improve athletic performance may increase a person's risk of developing diabetes, says a case study published online Monday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

In addition to helping stimulate muscle growth and reducing body fat, growth hormone also allows athletes to recover more quickly after strenuous training, CBC News reported.

The case study involved a 36-year-old professional bodybuilder who used anabolic steroids for 15 years and artificial growth hormone for three years.

About a year after he started taking growth hormone, the bodybuilder started to take insulin because his blood sugar had risen too high. But he stopped taking insulin after he suffered acute low blood sugar during a few workouts at the gym, CBC News reported.

He lost 40 kilograms (88 pounds) in 12 months and had symptoms of excessive thirst, urination, and appetite.

After being diagnosed with diabetes, the man was given intravenous fluids and gradually increasing amounts of insulin over five days. Eventually, he was no longer diabetic, the report said. – (HealthDayNews)

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February 2007

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