Can an Aerobic Exercise Programme Improve the Response of the Growth Hormone in Fibromyalgia Patients? A Randomised Controlled Trial

Abstract

Downgrade alterations in the growth hormone (GH) might be involved in the development of some of the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) symptoms. Our aim was to assess the effects of an aerobic exercise programme on the GH levels in patients with FMS. A randomised controlled trial was developed. Sixty-four Spanish women with FMS were randomly assigned to the experimental arm (n = 33) and treated with a 16-week group physical exercise programme based on low impact aerobic dance (three weekly sessions, one-hour each), or to the treatment-as-usual (TAU) control arm (n = 31). The primary outcome was the GH response to acute exercise. Secondary outcomes were GH basal, sensitivity to pain, body composition, aerobic capacity, and quality of life. The ANCOVA results showed a moderate effect of treatment improving the GH response to acute exercise. Other effects were substantial for aerobic capacity, quality of life, and body composition. Pre-intervention GH response to acute exercise was related to improvements in aerobic capacity and quality of life. An aerobic exercise programme may improve the response of the GH, aerobic capacity, body composition, and quality of life in women with FMS. The normalization of neuro-hormonal patterns involving the GH might be key for improving some FMS symptoms.

The relationship between serum leptin, insulin-like growth factor-1, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 levels and clinical parameters in primary fibromyalgia patients

“…IGF-1 level is an indicator of GH secretion. Symptoms such as lack of energy seen in deficiency of GH in adults, poor general health, reduced exercise capacity, muscle weakness, cold intolerance, and impaired cognitive functions are similar to the symptoms described in FMS patients 4 – 8 . It is stated that the levels of leptin and growth factors (IGF-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3)) vary in patients with fibromyalgia and this is a negative factor for homeostasis of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and skeletal muscle 5 .…”

Fibromyalgia: one year in review 2024

“…Exercise therapy has been shown to improve symptoms of FM through various mechanisms. A trial found moderate effects of a 16-week physical exercise program on aerobic exercise in improving the growth hormone response, suggesting the possible role of aerobic exercise in endocrinological modulation (30). After aerobic exercise, resistance training (RT) is the most common modality of exercise.…”

Optimal dose and type of exercise to reduce pain, anxiety and increase quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. A systematic review with meta-analysis

“…Some of the main advantages of PEBT are that it is an active and ludic therapy that can be performed in groups and that can increase social support between patients with FMS. Pilates ( Franco et al, 2023 ), dance ( Murillo-Garcia et al, 2022 ), yoga ( Allsop et al, 2022 ), tai chi ( Cheng et al, 2019 ), circuit training (aerobic, strength and multicomponent) ( Vilarino et al, 2021 ; Araya-Quintanilla et al, 2022 ; Estrada-Marcén et al, 2023 ), body awareness therapy ( Bravo et al, 2019 ), and videogames ( Cortés-Pérez et al, 2021 ) are the most common forms to peform PEBT in patients with FMS; the effects of these forms of therapy have been widely assessed in the scientific literature, and promising results have been obtained.…”