The Ins And Outs Of Human Growth Hormone Supplements
Human growth hormone supplements are used to offset the age-related decline in HGH secretion in our bodies. Athletes use them to increase muscle mass and performance, and some people believe that human growth hormone supplements can help you lose weight.
Human growth hormone (HGH) is released by the pituitary gland. It has an effect on cellular metabolism and produces growth. HGH causes an increase in muscle mass and a decrease in fat deposits.
HGH levels are normally high during childhood and peak in adolescence. After full growth is attained, HGH levels gradually decline with age. By the time a person is age 60, HGH production is very low.
One theory suggests that aging is caused by the decline in HGH levels. Decreased HGH causes lean muscle mass to decrease, fat to be deposited, and impairment in various cellular mechanisms. Some people believe that the diseases of aging—cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer, etc—are related to the drop in HGH levels. If this is true, human growth hormone supplements could retard or reverse the aging process.
RHGH
rHGH is an injectable form of human growth hormone. It is chemically identical to naturally produced HGH, but is made in a lab using recombinant technology. HGH must be injected, cannot be taken as a pill or spray and is only available with a prescription.
Medically, rHGH is indicated to treat children with delayed growth or as a human growth hormone supplement for people who do not have a pituitary gland (after surgical removal o f the pituitary, for instance). rHGH injections are also used for the "off label" reasons listed above.
HGH Secretagogues
Most human growth hormone supplements are secretagogues. That means they are substances that stimulate our own pituitary glands to secrete more HGH. Another term is HGH releasers. These human growth hormone supplements are usually either herbal supplements or nutritional supplements of amino acids. They are available without a prescription.
HGH releasers have some decided advantages over rHGH. They are available without a prescription and are easy to take. Most are a pill or a powder that is dissolved in liquid. HGH releasers are taken at bedtime, because natural HGH production is higher at night.
Although one study did show that older men who received rHGH injections benefited from it, there are no studies that show whether human growth hormone supplements other than rHGH are effective. Unless you are allergic to some component in a human growth hormone supplement, taking one is not likely to harm you, and many people do find that they feel better and more energetic, that they are stronger and lose weight more easily when taking HGH releasers.
