IFG-1, IGF-1 signaling, good or bad?

[DragonBits]

I am a little confused about IGF-1 issues.

There is a thread suggestion that higher IGF-1 levels are good for your health, and drugs are sold to stimulate GF/IGF-1 production.

On the other hand, Metformin is a drug that is often recommended for glucose control as well as its anti-aging properties. A miracle drug.

Part of what metformin does is reduce IGF-1 Signaling.

I am not sure what IGF-signaling really means, and if you increase IGF-1 levels, do you get more signaling which you want to reduce? Does lowering IGF-1 levels also lower signalling? Can you raise GH but lower IGF-1 and is that better?

Or is IGF-1 one of those J curve hormones where the sweet spot is in the middle?

Does anyone have an insight into these issues?

 

[Gman86]

From my understanding, it's one of those hormones you absolutely want in the sweet spot, no more, no less. Too high of IGF-1 levels will actually decrease life span. It obviously has a ton of benefits, but when too high, it will actually decrease longevity. Low levels of IGF-1 are linked to longevity.

But it's all a balancing act with hormones. I personally would prefer to have IGF-1 levels in the upper normal range for all of the benefits it has, and am willing to sacrifice a few years to get all the benefits while I'm alive, like increased healing, regeneration of cells, increased lipolysis ( fat burning ), increased bone density, improved sleep, better mood/ sense of well being, improved cognition and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

What they are finding out more and more every year is the importance of insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance seems to be the basis of most chronic disease. From my understanding, high growth hormone levels decrease insulin sensitivity. That's why bodybuilders that abuse HGH can have high blood sugar levels, and eventually become diabetic. So maybe one of the reasons why high growth hormone levels are associated with decreased longevity is because of this issue with insulin sensitivity. On the other hand, that's exactly why Metformin is being labeled as an "anti-aging" drug. It's because it improves insulin sensitivity.

I'm pretty sure you cannot increase GH levels, while lowering IGF-1 levels. Here's how it works. GH is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland into the blood stream, which then stimulates the liver to produce IGF-1. So anytime GH is increased, I would imagine it would just stimulate the liver to produce more IGF-1. I could be wrong though.

Bottom line though, growth hormone and IGF-1 levels are something you absolutely want to keep optimal, but definitely don't want too high. From my research, it seems like the consequences of having higher than normal levels of HGH are more dire than say testosterone or estrogen, for example.

 

[DragonBits]

From my understanding, it's one of those hormones you absolutely want in the sweet spot, no more, no less. Too high of IGF-1 levels will actually decrease life span. It obviously has a ton of benefits, but when too high, it will actually decrease longevity. Low levels of IGF-1 are linked to longevity.

But it's all a balancing act with hormones. I personally would prefer to have IGF-1 levels in the upper normal range for all of the benefits it has, and am willing to sacrifice a few years to get all the benefits while I'm alive, like increased healing, regeneration of cells, increased lipolysis ( fat burning ), increased bone density, improved sleep, better mood/ sense of well being, improved cognition and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

What they are finding out more and more every year is the importance of insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance seems to be the basis of most chronic disease. From my understanding, high growth hormone levels decrease insulin sensitivity. That's why bodybuilders that abuse HGH can have high blood sugar levels, and eventually become diabetic. So maybe one of the reasons why high growth hormone levels are associated with decreased longevity is because of this issue with insulin sensitivity. On the other hand, that's exactly why Metformin is being labeled as an "anti-aging" drug. It's because it improves insulin sensitivity.

I'm pretty sure you cannot increase GH levels, while lowering IGF-1 levels. Here's how it works. GH is secreted by the anterior pituitary gland into the blood stream, which then stimulates the liver to produce IGF-1. So anytime GH is increased, I would imagine it would just stimulate the liver to produce more IGF-1. I could be wrong though.

Bottom line though, growth hormone and IGF-1 levels are something you absolutely want to keep optimal, but definitely don't want too high. From my research, it seems like the consequences of having higher than normal levels of HGH are more dire than say testosterone or estrogen, for example.

Metformin reduces IGF-1 signalling, what confuses me is that related to IFG-1 levels? There is an IGF-1 binding protein which also seems to get increased.

So I wondered can you increase GF/IGF-1 while metformin reduces the signally pathway (negative effects) of IGF-1?

As far as the tradeoff between "sacrifice a few years to get all the benefits while I'm alive" , I think it depend on how old you are right now. At age 66 and average life expectancy of 76, I don't have a lot of years to trade. And at age 30-50, maybe they will come up with new methods to extend life.