HGH is described by some as the key to slowing the aging process. But please check out all the facts first.
Growth hormone fuels childhood growth and helps maintain tissues and organs throughout life. It’s produced by the pea-sized pituitary gland — located at the base of the brain. Beginning in middle age, however, the pituitary gland slowly reduces the amount of growth hormone it produces.
This natural slowdown has triggered an interest in using synthetic human growth hormone (HGH) as a way to stave off some of the changes linked to aging, such as decreased muscle and bone mass.
A recombinant form of HGH called somatropin (INN) is used as a prescription drug to treat children’s growth disorders and adult growth hormone deficiency.
Yes. Adults who have true growth hormone deficiency — not the expected decline in growth hormone due to aging — might be prescribed synthetic human growth hormone by their doctors.
Growth hormone deficiency might be caused by a benign tumor on the pituitary gland (pituitary adenoma). It also might be caused by treatment of an adenoma with surgery or radiotherapy.
For adults who have a growth hormone deficiency, injections of human growth hormone can:
Human growth hormone is also approved to treat adults with AIDS- or HIV-related muscle wasting.
Studies of healthy adults taking human growth hormone are limited. Although it appears that human growth hormone can increase muscle mass and reduce the amount of body fat in healthy older adults, the increase in muscle doesn’t translate into increased strength. It isn’t clear if human growth hormone might provide other benefits to healthy adults.
Human growth hormone might cause a number of side effects for healthy adults, including:
Human growth hormone might also contribute to conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease and possibly an increased risk of some cancers.
Some research suggests that side effects of human growth hormone treatments might be more likely in older adults than in younger people. Because the studies of healthy adults taking human growth hormone have been short term, it isn’t clear whether the side effects could eventually dissipate or become worse.
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