Question

human growth hormone (HGH) has been taken by athletes to gain a competitive advantage. This protein is also found naturally. Assuming that blood contains HGH, describe a test that could be developed to test large numbers of athletes in a short period of time and describe one that would not be as feasible. Briefly explain your choices.

Answer 1

HGH has been taken by athletes to gain a competitive advantage. Although its effectiveness in enhancing physical performance is still unproved, the compound is likely used for its potential anabolic effect on muscle growth and also in combination with other products. The effect of HGH and its short half-life during doping analysis that appears to be the direct approach utilizing immunoassays. Athletes claim that HGH increases lean body mass and decreases fat mass this was because of the too short time window of detection of the test and the short half-life of circulating GH concentrations returned to the baseline after IM injection and after subcutaneous injection. The concentration of hGH in the blood increases 10 fold during prolonged moderate exercise. It appears that hGH response is closely related to the peak intensity of exercise than the total work output.

HGH exerts its effect through target cells by binding to specific membrane receptors found in abundance throughout the body. It has both direct and indirect effects on the tissues the indirect effects are mediated by IGF-1 which is generated by the liver in response to GH. The positive effects described in HGH deficient adults are not that clear among athletes. The advantage of an indirect approach to target GH use is certainly that these biological factors are less variable or less sensitive than GH itself and should have a longer half-life in the body. The regular evaluation of individual normal ranges in sportspeople could in fact lead to, as is currently done with hematological substances, better screening and targeting of the athletes and direct detection of HGH.