Contacts:
Contact: Arlyn G. Riskind
Director, Media Relations
Phone: (301) 941-0240; Cell: (202) 431-9495
ariskind@endo-society.org
Contact: Aaron Lohr
Manager, Media Relations
(240) 482-1380
alohr@endo-society.org
1. Vitamin D Tied to Muscle Power in Adolescent Girls
2. Growth Hormone Treatment after Weight Loss Surgery Prevents Loss of Muscle Mass
3. Call for Nominations: The Endocrine Society's Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism
4. New Hormone Foundation Bilingual Patient Fact Sheet on Diabetes, Dyslipidemia and Heart Protection
1. Vitamin D Tied to Muscle Power in Adolescent Girls
Vitamin D is significantly associated with muscle power and force in adolescent girls, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Although vitamin D is naturally produced in the body through exposure to direct sunlight, vitamin D deficiency has become widely common in the United States. Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to have a significant negative impact on muscle and bone health, and can lead to conditions including osteoporosis and rickets.
"We know vitamin D deficiency can weaken the muscular and skeletal systems, but until now, little was known about the relationship of vitamin D with muscle power and force," said Dr. Kate Ward, Ph.D., of the University of Manchester in the U.K., and lead author of the study. "Our study found that vitamin D is positively related to muscle power, force, velocity and jump height in adolescent girls."
For this study, researchers followed 99 adolescent girls between the ages of 12 and 14 years. Dr. Ward and her colleagues took blood samples to measure the girls' serum levels of vitamin D. Many of these girls were found to have low levels of vitamin D despite not presenting any symptoms.
Researchers used a novel outcome measure called jumping mechanography to measure muscle power and force. Jumping mechanography derives power and force measurements from a subject's performance in a series of jumping activities. Dr. Ward says this method of testing is ideal as the muscles required to jump are those most often affected in subjects with vitamin D deficiency. Girls without vitamin D deficiency performed significantly better in these tests.
"Vitamin D affects the various ways muscles work and we've seen from this study that there may be no visible symptoms of vitamin D deficiency," said Dr. Ward. "Further studies are needed to address this problem and determine the necessary levels of vitamin D for a healthy muscle system."
Other researchers working on the study include Geeta Das of the Longsight Health Centre in Manchester, U.K.; Jacqueline Berry, Stephen Roberts, and Judith Adams of the University of Manchester in the U.K.; Rainer Rawer of Novotec Medical GmBH in Pforzheim, Germany; and Zulf Mughal of Saint Mary's Hospital for Women & Children in Manchester, U.K.
The article "Vitamin D Status and Muscle Function in Post-Menarchal Adolescent Girls," will appear in the February 2009 issue of JCEM.
2. Growth Hormone Treatment after Weight Loss Surgery Prevents Loss of Muscle Mass
Growth hormone treatment for six months after weight loss surgery reduces patients' losses in lean body mass and skeletal muscle mass, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Weight loss surgery techniques, such as gastric banding, have been shown to be effective in reducing body weight and obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes. Although the results of these procedures are widely beneficial, there are some complications. Following surgery, patients are at risk of losing needed lean body mass and skeletal muscle mass due to the serious complications associated with rapid and sustained weight loss. This new study investigated whether growth hormone treatment could prevent or reduce these losses.
"Besides its more commonly known effect on linear growth during childhood, growth hormone benefits body composition throughout life by increasing muscle mass and reducing fat mass," said Dr. Silvia Savastano, M.D., Ph.D., researcher at University Federico II of Naples in Italy and lead author of the study. "The results of our study show that the use of short-term treatment with growth hormone during a standardized program of low calorie diet and physical exercise is effective in reducing the loss of muscle mass and increasing the loss of fat mass after bariatric surgery."
In this study, Dr. Savastano and her colleagues evaluated women who underwent laparoscopic-adjustable silicone gastric banding surgery and were diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency after the procedure. These women were divided into two groups where both groups participated in a standardized diet and exercise program, but only one group also received growth hormone. After a follow-up period of six months, women receiving growth hormone experienced a significant decrease of fat mass and an increase in lean body and skeletal muscle mass.
"This evidence opens a new frontier for growth hormone therapy in the management of morbidly obese patients," said Dr. Savastano. "However, growth hormone treatment can be costly and a careful cost-benefit analysis that also takes into account the cost of commonly used therapy for management of morbidly obese patients is needed."
Other researchers working on the study include Carolina Di Somma, Francesco Orio, Gaetano Lombardi, and Annamaria Colao of University Federico II of Naples in Italy; and Salvatore Longobardi of Merck-Serono Italia in Rome, Italy.
The article "Growth Hormone Treatment Prevents Loss of Lean Mass after Bariatric Surgery in Morbidly Obese Patients," will appear in the March 2009 issue of JCEM.
3. Call for Nominations: The Endocrine Society's Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism
The Endocrine Society is calling for nominations for the second annual Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism. The award recognizes outstanding reporting that enhances public understanding of health issues pertaining to the field of endocrinology.
The award is open to all credentialed journalists in print (both "hard" and electronic) or broadcast. Candidates can self-nominate or be nominated by someone else. Only one nomination is permitted for each nominee. Submissions can include any work first published between March 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009.
Weight will be given to entries that demonstrate thorough research, accurate reporting, originality and contribute to the public understanding of endocrinology.
The honor consists of an award and $2,000 honorarium, to be presented in June 2009 at the Society's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. The award recipient will also receive complimentary travel and one-night hotel accommodations to attend the annual meeting to accept the award.
For accessing nomination forms, eligibility and submission requirements visit the Journalism Award's section. To apply, submit the completed nomination form and three copies of the article/work, whether published or taped, to:
Aaron Lohr
The Endocrine Society
8401 Connecticut Ave., Ste. 900
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Submissions must be received by March 6, 2009.
4. New Hormone Foundation Bilingual Patient Fact Sheet on Diabetes, Dyslipidemia and Heart Protection
The Hormone Foundation has published a bilingual (English/Spanish) fact sheet which explains the relationship between diabetes, dyslipidemia and heart disease. The fact sheet focuses on the increased risk of heart disease for people with diabetes and provides practical information about lipid levels and ways to keep the heart healthy. To download free copies for your patients visit the Foundation's Web site (www.hormone.org).
