Why does reduced pituitary response affect growth hormone release in older adults?

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In the context of human aging, the reduction in growth hormone (GH) release is linked to changes in the pituitary gland, which serves as a critical connection between the nervous and endocrine systems.1

As individuals age, the pituitary gland exhibits an attenuated response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). Because GHRH is the primary stimulus for the synthesis and secretion of growth hormone by the anterior pituitary's somatotroph cells, this diminished sensitivity directly results in a decrease in the overall release of growth hormone. This decline in GH, along with subsequent reductions in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) concentrations, contributes to age-related physiological changes, such as the loss of muscle mass and an increase in fat mass.123