Growth Hormone Secretagogue Action describes the pharmacological mechanism by which certain compounds stimulate the pituitary gland to increase the pulsatile secretion of endogenous Growth Hormone (GH). These agents do not introduce exogenous GH but rather enhance the body’s natural signaling pathways to produce and release its own hormone. This action is a targeted strategy used in clinical practice to safely support the somatotropic axis and its downstream metabolic benefits.
Origin
The concept arose from the discovery of ghrelin and its receptor, the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor (GHSR), revealing a natural, non-GHRH pathway for stimulating GH release. This led to the synthesis of various secretagogues designed to mimic this endogenous signaling.
Mechanism
Secretagogues primarily act by binding to the GHSR, located on somatotroph cells in the anterior pituitary and in the hypothalamus, which results in a potent, dose-dependent release of GH. This stimulation overrides the negative feedback mechanisms temporarily, leading to increased circulating GH and subsequently elevated Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, which mediate many of GH’s anabolic and metabolic effects.
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