Even when accounting for changes in growth hormone levels, these muscles still got bigger, meaning the drug works through other pathways too.

Pro

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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The Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue, Tesamorelin, Decreases Muscle Fat and Increases Muscle Area in Adults with HIV

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2019

The study found that a drug called tesamorelin helped HIV patients with belly fat gain more muscle in their abdomen and back, even though we don’t know if a hormone called IGF-1 was involved — so it hints that muscle growth might happen without IGF-1, but doesn’t prove it.

Contradicting (0)

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No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

The Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue, Tesamorelin, Decreases Muscle Fat and Increases Muscle Area in Adults with HIV

Score: 60

DOI: 10.14283/jfa.2018.45

Similar Assertions

Rising IGF-1 levels helped explain some of the muscle growth from the drug, but not all of it—so other factors are also at work.

94%

Even though the drug raised IGF-1, that didn’t predict whether muscles got less fatty—so fat reduction in muscle must be happening through a different pathway.

93%

The muscle growth from this drug wasn’t because belly fat went down—it was more likely due to a rise in a growth-related hormone called IGF-1.

93%

Tesamorelin increased rectus and psoas muscle size by 0.44 and 0.46 cm² in people with HIV and belly fat, but this effect was reduced when considering changes in a growth hormone-related factor.

88%

Even after accounting for belly fat loss, tesamorelin still increased lean muscle in people with HIV and belly fat, suggesting other factors are involved.

86%