Supplements - hGH (Human Growth Hormone)

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http://www.webefit.com/supplements/Sup_hGH.html

hGH

(Human Growth Hormone, HGH, Somatotropin)

What is it?

It is a glycoprotein hormone released by the anterior pituitary gland that is necessary for normal cartilage and skeletal growth in humans. hGH acts upon many aspects of cellular metabolism.

Does it occur naturally in the body?

Yes.

What are the claims?

When hGH is being marketed to bodybuilders and athletes, the claims range from outrageous to ridiculous. Ultimate HGH, which is marketed by Great American Products, is promoted with claims that it can "turn back the clock 20 to 30 years," build muscle, increase memory retention, increase "cardio output," help in loosing weight, deliver increased energy, improve vision, enhance immune function and even lower cholesterol.

Does it work?

Yes, the benefits listed below were documented when hGH was used on adult-onset growth hormone deficient patients.

Decreased body fat and increased lean body mass while taking hGH. (The loss of body fat did not persist for adult-onset patients when hGH injections were stopped.)
Increased aerobic exercise capacity or performance.
Increased HDL cholesterol ("good cholesterol") concentrations.
Perceived increase in physical mobility and decrease in social isolation as measured by the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP).

The problem is in how you TAKE hGH.

The following information is from Eli Lilly, the company that makes and markets Humatrope, "the first commercially available "man-made" product in which the active constituent was chemically identical to growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland."

On the Humatrope Frequently Asked Questions page it says:

Why do I have to inject Humatrope? Why can't I just take a pill?

What is Eli Lilly's response?

Humatrope is a protein. If it were taken orally, Humatrope would be digested in the stomach, in the way that food proteins are digested, and would not be useful to the body. Consequently, Humatrope must be injected to be properly absorbed and used by the body.

Then there's the handling problem. If it gets jostled or shaken when it's being transported it's no more effective than a sink full or dishwater. The same is true if it's left a room temperature for a few hours. Anyone who doesn't take meticulous care risks rendering it useless.

So what does that mean for all those companies selling hGH in pill or powder form? THEY'RE FULL OF CRAP. If you take hGH orally it's "not useful to the body."

It gets worse. Most of the companies supposedly selling hGH to athletes and bodybuilders (such as Great American Products) sell products with NO hGH in them.

The official position on hGH is this: According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the only approved uses (indications) of hGH are for the long-term treatment of children who have growth failure due to an inadequate secretion of normal endogenous growth hormone.

What are the dangers?

That depends on when you took hGH and from what companies. Up until 1985 hGH was a human brain derived product. Unfortunately that year it was linked to Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) which is a variant of what is now called mad cow disease.

After 1985 synthetic versions of hGH were developed that don't expose the user to CJD, but long-term studies pointed to other risks. Specifically a significant risk of cancer, especially colon cancer and Hodgkin's disease.

It's also known to cause acromegaly (a thickening of the bones in the jaw, forehead and hands) as well as enlargement of the heart, kidneys, hypoglycemia and diabetes. This does not mean that people with medically diagnosed hormone deficiencies should stop taking hGH, but otherwise healthy people should definitely avoid it.

The Bottom Line

Human Growth Hormone has definitely been shown to offer benefits to people with hormone deficiencies, both adults and children. Unfortunately "over the counter" versions of hGH being marketed today have three significant drawbacks.

Most have no hGH in them at all.
hGH must be injected, not taken orally to be "useful to the body." Oral hGH is completely worthless.
There's no clinical evidence that topical hGH cream will provide any benefit to humans. Creams are nothing more than a scam.

If you do manage to get a legal prescription for hGH, there are three more drawbacks.

You're putting yourself at risk of cancer, diabetes, enlargement of the heart and kidneys the longer you take it.
If it's handled badly or kept at the wrong temperature, it becomes worthless.
The loss of body fat did not persist for adult-onset patients when hGH injections were stopped, virtually guaranteeing you would have to continue taking it...all the while increasing your long-term health risks.

Unless prescribed by a doctor for a medical condition, we cannot recommend the supplement hGH for people simply looking to build muscle.

Links for More Info

For a fascinating look into the fraudulent marketing of HGH, click the link below to the Sixty Minutes story.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/19/60minutes/main1512855.shtml

Sports Illustrated did a great story called, "Big Pharma Cashing in on hGH Abuse." Anyone considering hGH should read this article to understand why questionable medical professionals have started promoting this dangerous substance for the layman. They make money while you die.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20121221/hgh-epidemic/

7/2/2005
Updated 12/30/2007
Updated 5/6/2012
Updated 12/28/2012
Updated 1/21/2013