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Effects of Growth Hormone (GH) Deficiency and GH Replacement Therapy on Health-Related Physical Fitness in Children

Nicola Improda1,2, Giada Ballarin1,3, Donatella Capalbo4,5

  • 1Neuroendocrine Diseases and Obesity Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples 80122, Italy.

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|December 20, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in children leads to poorer physical fitness and increased sedentary time. GH replacement therapy (GHRT) significantly improves muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and quality of life in these children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Sports Medicine
  • Human Physiology

Background:

  • Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) impacts health-related physical fitness, but effects remain unclear.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the effects of GHD and GH replacement therapy (GHRT) on health-related physical fitness in children.
  • To assess changes in body composition, muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and quality of life.

Main Methods:

  • Compared 49 children with GHD to 46 controls, assessing body composition, strength, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, and quality of life.
  • Re-evaluated GHD patients after one year of GHRT.

Main Results:

  • GHD children had higher sitting time and waist-to-height ratio, with reduced muscle strength, endurance, and cardiorespiratory fitness compared to controls.
  • One-year GHRT improved body composition, increased physical activity (METs-min/week), enhanced muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness (6MWD, VO2max), and improved physical and psychosocial quality of life.

Conclusions:

  • GH replacement therapy demonstrates broad beneficial effects on health-related physical fitness in children with GHD.
  • GHRT positively impacts multiple fitness parameters and quality of life, supporting its therapeutic role.
Abstract

Keywords:
body compositioncardiorespiratory fitnessgrowth hormone deficiencyhealth-related fitnessmuscle strength

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