HGH Background & Physiology

Learn More About HGH Human Growth Hormone

Is there scientific evidence that Human Growth Hormone (HGH) can reverse the aging process?

In his 1990 Study “Effects of Human Growth Hormone in men over 60 Years Old (New England Journal of Medicine, 1990;323:1), Dr. Rudman showed that 6 months of human growth hormone (hgh) injections reversed aging by 10-20 years in his subjects. This was the first time that any anti-aging therapy had been shown to reverse aging.

In his study, Dr. Rudman injected high levels of recombinant HGH in patients 60 years of age or older. This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical study done on humans. This is one of the highest levels of clinical studies.

Does HGH supplementation cause cancer or make tumors grow faster?

This is a common fear of individuals who are considering human growth hormone (HGH) anti-aging therapy. There is no scientific evidence that HGH supplements cause cancer in humans. In fact, Dr. Terry, author of “Grow Young with HGH” found no cases of cancer in over 800 patients treated with human growth hormone (HGH) injections in his clinic from 1994-1996. As Dr. Terry stated in his book, "With 800 people over the age of about 40, you would think that given normal incidence rate of cancer, some of these people would get cancer. It could be that there is some sort of protective effect from growth hormone replacement." Nevertheless, if you have cancer or a history of cancer, check with your physician before undergoing any type of treatment or supplementation, including HGH therapy.

How can I measure my Human Growth Hormone (HGH) levels?

Human Growth Hormone is only present in the body for a short period of time. However, IGF-1 is present in the body at all times. Since, IGF-1 does most of the work for HGH, it can be an indicator of the level of Human Growth Hormone in your body. Blood and saliva tests can show your IGF-1 levels. Generally, the lower your levels, the more you stand to gain from HGH enhancing supplements. We also know that HGH declines with age, and HGH levels can be predicted with relative accuracy based on age and gender.

HGH (Human Growth Hormone) Definitions

What is a Hormone?

Hormones are made up of amino acids and are produced by the body’s endocrine glands to stimulate certain activities. For example, Insulin is a well known hormone that helps our body digest food. Our growth, digestion, reproduction and sexual functions are all triggered by hormones.

What is Human Growth Hormone?

Human Growth Hormone (HGH or hGH) is the largest and most abundant hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain (the pituitary is one of the endocrine glands). HGH is also a very complex hormone. It is made up of 191 amino acids - making it fairly large for a hormone.

Because HGH helps stimulate the body to grow, secretion reaches its peak during adolescence. HGH secretion does not stop after adolescence, but it does decline significantly as we age.

Growth Hormone is known to be critical for tissue repair, muscle growth, healing, brain function, physical and mental health, bone strength, energy and metabolism. For this reason, it makes sense that, as HGH declines with age, so do many of these functions.

What is Recombinant Growth Hormone (HGH)?

Recombinant Growth Hormone is HGH that is synthesized in the lab. It is a biosynthetic hormone that is identical to human growth hormone, but it is created in the lab. Creating recombinant human growth hormone (HGH) required scientists to accurately duplicate this complex 191 amino acid hormone.

Scientists from the major drug companies raced to produce the 191 amino acid HGH in a test tube. Recombinant Human Growth Hormone is now manufactured and sold by several drug companies. The most popular is Humatrope, created by Eli Lilly in 1986. Lilly leads the HGH market because they were the first to create an identical match to the Human Growth Hormone produced by the pituitary gland.

What is IGF-1 and how does it help predict HGH levels in the body?

HGH is difficult to measure in the bloodstream because within a few minutes after HGH is secreted by the pituitary gland, the liver absorbs and converts it into “growth factors”. IGF-1, also known as Insulin-like Growth Factor 1, or Somatomedin-C is the most important growth factor produced during this process. IGF-1 stays in the bloodstream longer than HGH, so it is a more accurate indicator of HGH secretion in the body.

The role of HGH in the human body

What role does HGH play in the body?

Human growth hormone and IGF-1been shown to play a significant role in:

• Conversion of body fat to muscle mass
• Growth of all tissues
• Energy level
• Tissue repair
• Whole body healing
• Cell replacement
• Bone strength
• Brain function
• Sexual function
• Organ health and integrity
• Enzyme production
• Integrity of hair, nails, skin and vital organs

Basically, anything that goes on in your body is in some way tied to HGH. This is why we look and feel more energetic, healthy and youthful in our teens and early 20s when HGH is at its peak.

Does the body ever stop producing HGH?

No, the body must produce some HGH or it would not be able to function. However, after about 20 years old, the body produces less and less HGH each year. HGH levels have declined by about 75%

HGH Levels In Humans

What are average HGH secretion levels in Humans?

The following are average HGH secretion levels in humans:

• Age 20: 500 micrograms/day
• Age 40: 200 micrograms/day
• Age 80: 25 micrograms/day

Why does the body produce less HGH as we get older?

Although this question has been studied in depth, scientists do not yet know the answer. There are many theories, but none has been proven.

Is there any way to maintain high HGH levels as we age?

Yes. Injecting recombinant GH just under the surface of the skin with a very small needle or a special “pen” provided by HGH manufacturers increases growth hormone in the body. It is important to understand that recombinant GH is only available in injection form. Because the 191 amino acid growth hormone is too delicate so delicate, scientists have not yet discovered a way to make an oral form that can be absorbed and used by the body.

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Benefits of HGH Supplementation

What are the benefits of increasing HGH to more youthful levels?

While numerous studies have been done on the effects of HGH injections, one of the most important was done by Dr. Rudman and published in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 5, 1990. The journal reported that men who had taken HGH injections had shown an 8.8 percent gain in lean body mass with a 14 percent loss in body fat - without any change in diet or activity!

Taking into account all of the studies done on HGH injections, the following benefits have been noted*:

• 8.8% increase in muscle mass on average after six months, without exercise
• 14.4% loss of fat on average after six months, without dieting
• Higher energy levels
• Enhanced sexual performance
• Regrowth of heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and other organs that shrink with age
• Greater cardiac output
• Superior immune function
• Increased exercise performance
• Better kidney function
• Lowered blood pressure
• Improved cholesterol profile, with higher HDL and lower LDL
• Stronger bones
• Faster wound healing
• Younger, tighter, thicker skin
• Hair regrowth
• Wrinkle removal
• Elimination of cellulite
• Sharper vision
• Mood elevation
• Increased memory retention
• Improved sleep
(* From Grow Young with HGH by Dr. Ronald Klatz)

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Side Effects

What are the side effects of HGH injections?

Anytime you introduce any substance or pharmaceutical into the body there is the risk of side effects, however these side effects have been associated with excessive dosages. Excessive doses can result in carpal tunnel syndrome or pre-diabetic symptoms, however, these symptoms subside when HGH treatment is stopped. And, once the symptoms subside, HGH therapy can be resumed at lower doses.

HGH Supplements - Facts and Fiction:

• HGH Injections, in proper doses are the only products proven to increase HGH levels in the body
• The current HGH spray, pill and power supplements sold without a prescription cannot be absorbed by the body. HGH is so fragile that is is broken down before it reaches the bloodstream when taken orally.
• HGH is a prescription drug that must be injected at high concentrations in order to be effective. If sprays, pills or powders had concentrations anywhere near those of injections, the FDA would require that they be sold only with a prescription, just like injectable HGH