Human Growth Hormone

Used first time for human therapy in 1981, human growth hormone (HGH) is a growth-promoting protein that contains about 191 amino acids. HGH is produced by the pituitary gland, which is a pea-sized structure located at the base of your brain. You can also call HGH as somatrophin. The hormone is produced by the body naturally to help growth factor in children and to maintain organs and tissues.

Simply known as growth hormone (GH), HGH, human chorionic somatomammotropin and prolactin (PRL) are a group of homologous hormones that have growth-promoting and lactogenic activities. The hormone is mainly used for treating short children. Recently, it has also been used by various athletes. Growth hormone is used by all sportsmen especially athletes to boost their performance in competitions.

However, the hormone’s main use is to increase muscle size. To fullfill the requirment of strength and muscle size in various sports arena, players use it for its multiple health benefits. Growth hormone is also prescribed during hard training workouts because of its ability to quickly recover traumatized muscle tissue. No need to get you so excited my friend. Despite of its benefits, the hormone is not used in the sports that required much stamina.

Human Growth hormone is stimulated by growth hormone releasing hormone, sleep, exercise, low levels of blood sugar, dietary protein and increased androgen secretion during puberty while hyperglycemia, glucocorticoids, somatostatin from periventricular nucleus and any estrogen are its inhibitors. In addition to these, there are a number of foreign compounds, known as xenobiotics, which influence its secretion and function. HGH also plays role as an anabolic agent and because of this particular role it has been banned by the International Olympic Committee and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Medically, the hormone is used for the treatment of growth disorders in children and adult growth hormone deficiency. However in recent years, its use in the age replacement therapies have become quite popular among people. Decreased body fat, improved skin tone and texture, and increased muscle mass, bone density and energy levels are some of the resultant effects reported by the users. Growth hormone generally has anabolic (building up) effects on the body’s tissues. Like other protein hormones, it also interacts with only a specific receptor present on the surface of cells.



In addition, some of the other side effects of growth hormone are promotion of lipolysis, stimulating growth of internal organs (except brain), reduced glucose uptake by liver, fuel homeostasis, gluconeogenesis in the liver, and increased calcium retention, protein synthesis, muscle mass through sarcomere hyperplasia and mineralization of bone. According to a clinical studies survey, published in early 2007, conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine, the application of human growth hormone on healthy elderly patients can increase muscle by about 2 kg and decrease body fat too by the same amount.

However, like other natural protein and synthetic drugs, growth hormone also has its side effects that mainly occur both in excess and deficiency conditions.  First of all focus on its excess side effects. The most common problem that can be caused due to excess use of HGH is a pituitary tumor. Severe headache, weak vision due to optic nerves pressure and deficiency of other pituitary hormones are some other common problems caused by the excess of the hormone. Besides these, excess of GH for prolonged period can cause thickening of jaw bones, fingers and toes resulting to acromegaly.

Similarly the growth hormone deficiency also caused various problems. Normal growth failure and short stature are the major symptoms of its deficiency in children. In some cases, the hormone can cause delayed onset of sexual maturity. However, deficiency is rare in adults but if occur then the most common is pituitary adenoma. Apart from deficiency, regular application of GH may also report several negative side effects like swelling and pain of joints, carpal tunnel syndrome and an increased risk of diabetes.

Human growth hormone or growth hormone is produced by the body in natural way. But in the cases where body fails to generate enough level of the hormone, it is given through secondary (external) mediums, like treatment therapies and side products. Recently, there are various growth hormone treatments and products available in the market. Serostim, Saizen, Nutropin, Humatrope and GHR100 some of the common brand names of HGH. However, the dosage of growth hormone varied from different products to different requirement of patients.