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Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) increase with age and pubertal development. The large variation in circulating IGF-I levels in adolescence makes it difficult to use the IGF-I value of a single child in the assessment of his growth status. In addition, the interference of IGF-binding proteins in many IGF-I assays contributes to this problem. We measured IGF-I in acid-ethanol-extracted serum from 1030 healthy children, adolescents, and adults, employing a RIA that reduces interference of IGF-binding proteins by using monoiodinated Tyr31-[125I]des-(1-3)IGF-I as radioligand. Mean serum IGF-I concentrations increased slowly in prepubertal children from 80-200 micrograms/L with a further steep increase during puberty to approximately 500 micrograms/L. After puberty, a subsequent continuous fall in circulating IGF-I levels was apparent throughout adulthood to a mean of 100 micrograms/L at the age …