The purpose of this research study is to see if giving women a hormone called "ghrelin" will
increase levels of growth hormone in the blood and increase appetite. Ghrelin is a naturally
occurring hormone that is produced mostly by the stomach and causes secretion of another
hormone called growth hormone. It also increases short-term appetite and may lower the amount
of inflammation in the body.
Some people lose their appetite as they age and have unintentional weight loss. This may be
caused by a break in the communication between the stomach and the brain. We are particularly
interested in seeing if there is a difference in the effects of ghrelin in older women who
have lost weight recently without wanting to and those who have not.