Does human growth hormone increase hematocrit?

[Ashechtman]

My doctor put me on hgh about a year ago for vertical growth purposes. Before the growth hormone, my hematocrit was normal, at around 45%. He started me on a very high dose, 3.6mg (10.8 iu) and went up to 4mg (12 iu). On 4mg, my igf-1 was tested way too high, in the 700's, ref range was ~300-450. My last two sets of blood work came back saying my hematocrit was now 53%. This is a VERY large increase over the past year. My first thought was that the HGH was the cause. However my endo said that HGH doesn't raise hematocrit. So i'd like to know all your opinions on the matter. Does hgh raise hematocrit or not.

 

[jjflex]

Growth hormone (GH) also increases hematocrit, and impairment of erythropoiesis has been reported in adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD). In AGHD patients without anemia, GH replacement reactivates erythropoiesis via insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).

Christ ER, Cummings MH, Westwood NB, Sawyer BM, Pearson TC, Sonksen PH, Russell-Jones DL. The importance of growth hormone in the regulation of erythropoiesis, red cell mass, and plasma volume in adults with growth hormone deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1997 Sep;82(9):2985-90.