[Expert consensus on the treatment of aging related to growth hormone deficiency].

The secretion of growth hormone progressively decreases with advancing age, and some of the elderly develop age-related growth hormone deficiency. Physiological concentration of growth hormone is crucial for the regulation of material metabolism and the maintenance of organ and systemic functions in adults. Clinically, adult growth hormone deficiency manifests as a complex constellation of symptoms including obesity, fatty liver, sarcopenia, osteoporosis, diminished sexual function, reduced physical performance, and depression, which are partially analogous to the clinical phenotypes of aging. For patients with clearly identified causes or those with age-related growth hormone deficiency, physiological doses of growth hormone supplementation therapy can significantly improve the aforementioned symptoms. Consequently, adult growth hormone deficiency is considered as one of the endocrine causes for certain aging symptoms. Currently, clinicians have insufficient awareness of this issue. Age-related growth hormone deficiency should logically be an integral part of adult growth hormone deficiency, yet it has not received sufficient clinical attention and emphasis. The Pubertal Development and Gonadal Disorders Committee from Chinese Aging Well Association and Society of Endocrinology and Metablic Disease, China National Health Association organized 34 domestic experts from fields including endocrinology, nutrition, geriatric medicine, and sports medicine. Based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system for clinical evidence levels, they formulated expert consensus and proposed coping strategies centered around key scientific issues related to growth hormone therapy for anti-aging, including the target population for treatment, treatment risks and benefits, and the duration of treatment courses. By integrating the evaluation opinions from the Delphi method, 16 recommendation statements aiming to standardize the application of growth hormone therapy on anti-aging were finally determined. And in response to various issues in the field of growth hormone anti-aging therapy, the future research directions have been proposed.