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By Annie Price, CHHC
September 7, Human growth hormone (also known as HGH) is a term that sports fans associate with cheating and using steroids.
Did you know that HGH can be used to boost testosterone naturally and has many other important benefits? It’s true.
Are you a good candidate for human growth hormone?
The natural HGH benefits are significant. It is essential for cell growth and regeneration throughout one’s entire life.
Growth hormone is responsible for maintaining a healthy balance between our muscles, bones, and fat tissues.
Human growth hormone research is just 100 years old. Synthetic human growth hormone was developed in the 1980s and was approved by FDA for use in children and adults.
Let’s see why.
What is Human Growth Hormone?
What is HGH? The pituitary gland is the place at the base the brain that produces human growth hormone.
It is vital for cell growth, cell regeneration, and maintaining healthy tissue.
Another definition of human growth hormone: Human growth hormone, also known as HGH, is a peptide that stimulates cell growth and reproduction.
HGH is secreted once it has been absorbed into the bloodstream. This allows the liver to convert the HGH into growth factors. The most important being insulin-like growth hormone (IGF-1), which promotes growth in every cell of the body.
Is HGH illegal?
It is illegal to distribute or use HGH without a prescription and medical need.
Is human growth hormone considered a steroid?
It is not a steroid. However, it is often confused for one because it is commonly used with anabolic steroids and it is also tested for in the sports world.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) states that HGH is most often abused by athletes, bodybuilders, and aging adults. The World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Olympic Committee consider HGH a performance-enhancing drug that athletes are forbidden to use.
Human Growth Hormone for Men
What is growth hormone for adults?
Adult men can benefit from the effects of human growth hormone by increasing their exercise capacity and muscle mass. HGH is so popular in bodybuilding and sports. But before you look for HGH for sale we will talk about natural methods to increase this vital growth hormone.
After 35 years of age, men are more likely to experience the first signs of aging. HGH levels begin to decline in men.
HGH treatment has been shown to reduce fat, improve skin texture, increase hair density, and correct erectile dysfunction.
Human Growth Hormone for Women
HGH is being explored by more women for its weight loss and anti-aging properties. The pituitary gland is not producing enough human growth hormone, which causes a deficiency in females.
Are you ready for more interesting facts about human growth hormone? Women’s levels of human growth hormone begin to decrease in their 20s. Signs of HGH deficiency include dry, thinning skin, increased belly fat, wrinkles, and more.
Studies have shown that women secrete more growth hormone than men despite being in the same range of serum IGF-1.
Women with adequate levels of HGH can have a better body-fat ratio, and skin elasticity. Balanced levels of HGH in women reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis.
HGH injections intramuscularly can be used to normalize sleep patterns, increase skin elasticity, reduce excess fat, and boost the immune system.
Human Growth Hormone for Children
Growth hormone is vital for children’s development and growth. It is also essential for maintaining tissues and organs during childhood (and throughout your life).
The daily secretion levels of HGH increase throughout childhood. They peak in adolescence, and then slowly decline.
Related: 11 Foods that Make You Taller (and Why)
9 Benefits
For weight loss and muscle growth, larger doses of human growth hormone can be administered. However, smaller doses can be used to improve general health, recovery and start the anti-aging process. There are many benefits to HGH treatment for children, teens, and adults.
1. Muscle strength increases
The human growth hormone is known to increase physical capability by stimulating collagen synthesis in the bone skeletal muscle and tendons. This can lead to increased muscle strength and improved exercise performance.
The International Journal of Endocrinology randomized 14 healthy men between the ages of 50 and 70 into two groups to conduct a study. Seven subjects received HGH therapy, while seven subjects received placebo treatment. They were then reevaluated six months later.
Six months later, the leg press responsiveness muscles of the growth hormone group showed a significant improvement.
2. Better Fracture Healing
Human growth hormone administration has been shown to accelerate the process of bone regeneration, making it an important part of bone healing. The metabolism of bone can be stimulated by growth factors such as IGF-1.
A study published in BONE showed that growth hormone was administered systemically to rats of recombinant species-specific breeds by subcutaneous injections. It was then compared with the placebo group. The local growth factor injection had a greater effect on fracture healing than did the systemic human hormone injection.
These observations indicate that local application of growth hormone can significantly speed up fracture healing without systemic adverse side effects.
HGH has been shown to significantly increase the healing rate of wounds and injuries. An HGH treatment trial that was double-blinded and controlled over six months revealed that older men receiving growth hormone had a greater rate of collagen deposition, which in turn helped to speed up the healing process.
3. Enhanced Weight Loss
Obese people have a limited response to growth hormone stimuli. After successful weight loss, growth hormone responsiveness may be partial or complete.
Growth hormone speeds lipolysis (the breakdown of lipids) and involves hydrolysis of the triglycerides to glycerol or free fatty acids. Lipolytic effects are diminished when there is an insufficient secretion of human growthhormone.
In a study published by Hormone Research, it was examined how diet restrictions affect growth hormone treatment’s anabolic and lipolytic effects as well as changes in growth hormone secretions.
Twenty-four overweight participants were placed on a hypocaloric diet, and either treated with recombinant Human Growth Hormone or a placebo. The growth hormone treatment resulted in a 1.6-fold increase of weight loss. Visceral fat was the most significant loss.
The placebo group lost lean body weight, while the growth hormone group gained lean body Mass.
The study found that growth hormone increases body fat loss and increases growth hormone secretion in obese people who follow a strict caloric restriction diet. Human growth hormone could be used to aid obese people in losing weight.
4. Stronger bones
The pituitary gland stimulates growth hormone release and is crucial for bone growth regulation, particularly during puberty. IGF-1 is a hormone that stimulates the production and release of growth hormone. It is found in the liver.
As we age, our ability to make or replace bones quickly may decrease due to a decline in human growth hormone. The combination of IGF-1 and growth hormone stimulates bone-resorbing and bone-forming cells, leading to an increase in bone mass.
5. Lower risk of developing a heart attack
The risk of developing cardiovascular disease in adult who are deficient in growth hormone is higher, which can lead to a decrease in life expectancy.
Sweden studied 104 growth hormone-deficient patients for their cardiovascular disease risk. The patients with higher body mass and triglyceride levels than the controls had a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
The results suggest that growth hormone deficiency can alter lipoprotein metabolism, increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
6. Improvement in Erectile Dysfunction
Recent studies suggest that male reproductive function and sexual maturation are controlled by human growth hormone. Deficiency can lead to sexual desire and loss.
In a German study, 35 healthy adults and 45 people with erectile disorder were exposed to visual and tactile stimuli to induce penile tumescence. As determined during penile tumescence development, the growth hormone level increased by more than 90%. Then, there was a temporary decrease.
The study indicates that growth hormone may induce penile erection through stimulation of the human corpus cavernosum smooth muscles. This could make it an effective natural remedy for impotence.
7. A decrease in obesity
Low serum levels of insulin-like growth hormone and growth hormone are associated with abdominal obesity. Adults who lack growth hormone have shown positive results with human growth hormone treatment.
In a double-blind, randomized, nine-month study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, thirty-six men aged 48-66 suffered from abdominal/visceral obese.
Visceral and abdominal adipose tissues decreased with diastolic pressure. Human growth hormone was found to have positive effects on insulin sensitivity.
8. A better mood and cognitive function
The effects of human recombinant hormone on cognitive function, mood, and concentration was examined in a Lithuanian study. The study involved 18 adult HGH-deficient patients. Twelve international units of growth hormone were administered each week.
According to mood scales, this resulted in cognitive function and mood being significantly improved after six months of therapy. The results of this study suggest that administration of growth hormone may be an option for adults with low levels of growth hormone to improve their cognitive function and mood.
9. Better Sleep
The majority of growth hormone pulsatile secretion occurs shortly after sleep begins. It continues to increase when sleep is over for a few hours.
People who suffer from sleep deprivation (e.g., those who work late or night shift) can experience negative effects throughout the day. Sleep deprivation can alter the function of pituitary, hypothalamus, and further affect growth hormone release times.
In a University of Chicago study, the release of human growth hormones was dramatically decreased. The peak levels of growth hormones at night were also noticeably lower after being deprived of sleep for 24 to 36 hours.
The 24-hour pulse rate for growth hormone was less frequent during the night and became more random over the day. This study shows that sleep deprivation may reduce growth hormone release in the morning and can alter and disrupt the sleep-wake cycle.
Related:Citrulline – The Amino Acid That Benefits Blood Blow & Performance (+ Foods & Dosage Information)
Deficiency symptoms, causes and risk
The signs and symptoms of growth hormone deficiencies vary depending on age. Children may experience different symptoms from adults. Growth hormone deficiency is characterized by children growing shorter than others their age and less than two inches each year.
Normal growth hormone levels in children typically allow them to grow 2.5 inches per year until puberty when they can grow upto four inches. A decrease in human growth hormone doesn’t affect a child’s intelligence.
Children may also experience symptoms such as:
* Children of the same age may have facial features that are younger than those with similar facial features
* Sometimes puberty will not occur due to delayed puberty
* More fat around the stomach, and face
* Prominent forehead
* Slow hair growth
A combination of symptoms may be experienced by adults due to a deficiency in human growth hormone.
* Depression
* Hair loss
* Sexual dysfunction
* Reduced muscle strength and mass
* Memory Loss
* Insufficient concentration
* Dry skin
* Increased triglycerides
* Fatigue
* Risk of developing a heart attack
* Increase LDL (bad) cholesterol
* Insulin resistance
* Reduced bone density
* Temperature sensitive
* An increase in weight, particularly around the waist
The causes and risk factors
Damage to the hypothalamus or pituitary gland can cause a deficiency. This damage could have occurred before the child was born. This is a congenital condition that is caused by genetic error. If one or both of the parents have a deficiency, it increases the chance of it happening.
You can also get it from something that happened after or during birth (an acquired cause). You may also have other possible causes.
If a child has had a brain tumor, brain injury, or radiation treatment to their head, they are more likely to be at higher risk of growth hormone deficiency.
Natural Ways to Increase Your HGH Levels
You might be wondering how to naturally increase HGH. These are the best ways to increase HGH naturally:
1. High-Intensity Exercise
Research indicates that exercise-induced growth hormone and endurance exercise, which are associated with intensity, duration, frequency, load, and frequency, play a significant role in regulation of HGH secretion.
What causes HGH?
The greatest stimuli to HGH secretion is attained when the exercise intensity is above the lactate threshold. This can be achieved for no less than 10 minutes. HIIT training is effective in promoting positive well-being, good health, and positive training outcomes while stimulating HGH.
2. L-glutamine
L-glutamine supplementation is well-known for improving exercise performance, acid-base balance, and increasing muscle glycogen storage.
A study in Iran found that 30 healthy male non-athletes were randomly divided into glutamine supplementation and placebo groups. They then went through the same three-day-a-week, eight-week resistance training program.
Both groups saw an increase in performance. However, the glutamine group showed greater gains in lower-and upper-body strength, explosive muscles power, blood testosterone, IGF-1 and HGH than the placebo group.
3. L-arginine
Studies have shown that oral L-arginine can be administered to participants to increase resting growth hormone levels by at least 100 percent. Exercise can raise growth hormone levels by 300 to 500 percent.
4. A-GPC
Which HGH supplement is best?
According to a study in the 2008 issue of the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (A-GPC) might increase human growth hormone levels.
Participants who had 600 mg of A-GPC 2 hours prior to resistance exercise showed higher levels of HGH than those who received a placebo.
5. Laughter
Researchers Stanley Tan, and Lee Berk, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, Calif. observed that endorphins and human growth hormone were both increased by 27 percent to 87 percent respectively when participants anticipated seeing a funny video.
6. Liver Detox
HGH stimulates liver to produce IGF-1. This hormone is released into the body to stimulate cell proliferation, muscle mass, and energy.
Poor liver function, non-alcoholicfatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and fatty liver can all make it difficult for an individual to reap the full benefits of HGH. A liver cleanse is a good option if you want to naturally increase HGH.
7. Vitamin C
Studies have shown a correlation between lower vitamin C levels and decreased growth hormone secretion in obese patients, an increase waist-hip ratio, and higher risk of developing heart disease. Vitamin C is essential for a pro-HGH diet.
Which foods naturally increase growth hormone?
Vitamin C-rich foods such as broccoli, red pepper, kiwi, strawberries, and broccoli may be able to naturally increase HGH.
8. Fasting
You now know that HGH levels peak during puberty. So you may be wondering: How can I increase my HGH level after puberty?
Although fasting is not recommended for children it is something that adults past puberty may consider.
Is fasting associated with an increase in HGH?
Fasting has many benefits, including a natural increase in HGH secretion.
Supplements, Injections and Usage Information
Human growth hormone can be given as an injection when prescribed by a doctor. HGH pills are not currently available for prescription.
The approved uses of human growth hormone to treat height problems due to unknown causes or poor growth due to medical conditions are:
Adults can use HGH approved for the following:
* Hypoglycemia due to rare pituitary cancers or treatment
* Short bowel syndrome
* Muscle-wasting diseases that are associated with HIV/AIDS
Talk to your doctor about the best HGH dose for you.
Side Effects and Risks
Although HGH before-and-after photos may look impressive, remember that HGH should not be purchased for sale. Not only is it illegal but also because HGH should only ever be administered by a doctor.
Is HGH dangerous?
It can be dangerous in its synthetic form (such a human growth hormone gel), especially when it is misused.
What are the side effects of HGH Side effects of HGH include:
* Muscle and joint pain
* Carpal tunnel syndrome
* Higher insulin resistance
* Severe swelling in the legs and arms
* Men can have their breasts enlarged (gynecomastia).
At four IU or more, individuals may notice swollen fingers and fuller faces. This side effect is temporary, and disappears when the HGH cycle is ended.
Mayo Clinic says that “Human growth hormone could also contribute to conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and an increased risk for some cancers.”
Last Thoughts
* The use of human growth hormone and the research confirming its anti-aging and performance-enhancing properties have increased throughout the years.
* Signs of human growth hormone deficiencies include fatigue, depression, reduced muscle strength and mass and insulin resistance, insulin resistance, hair fall, cardiovascular disease risk, memory impairment, and delayed puberty for children.
The many benefits of human growth hormones include increased energy, better exercise performance, stronger bones, and lean muscle mass.
* Supplements of human growth hormone, including HGH gel and HGH capsules, should not be taken without a doctor’s recommendation.
* Legal HGH can be injected.
Natural methods are the best way to increase HGH levels. There are natural ways to increase human growth hormone levels. These include exercise, laughter, liver detox, Larginine and L-glutamine.
