"Health Articles"

In the past, research on human growth hormone, or HGH research, has revealed a lot about the hormone and what its functions are in the human body. We now know that human growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland, that it regulates growth in children and young adults, and that the levels produced in humans drop off quickly after growth is complete. Both too little and too much of the hormone cause significant health problems in humans of any age. Scientists have also learned how to produce the hormone artificially in the laboratory.

HGH studies on the role of the hormone in later life are more recent and more controversial than the work on childhood abnormalities. It seems that, in adults, this essential hormone is responsible for the maintenance of bone density, lean body mass, and muscle strength. It regulates fat storage and blood sugar. Various scientific papers reporting on the results of HGH research have been interpreted as evidence that human growth hormone holds the key to longevity, possibly even lasting youth. The majority of this work looked at treating elderly people with age related health problems, rather than healthy aging people seeking anti-aging therapy. Results are inconclusive: growth hormone therapy can make us look younger, but it may not be the proverbial fountain of youth.

Amidst all the claims being made for human growth hormone, it’s important to uncover the HGH facts, the things we really do know about the effects of hormone supplementation. First, HGH studies have shown that it doesn’t enter the bloodstream when it is ingested: in order to get any effect from therapeutic growth hormone, it has to be injected. Injections do bring results - younger looking skin, leaner body mass and sometimes increased bone density. HGH research has also shown, however, that undesirable side effects are very common.

Unpopular HGH facts include the information that when human hormone therapy has been used on elderly patients, HGH studies have not documented significant improvement in age-related health problems. Mental and emotional functioning doesn’t improve and most marked physical changes are primarily cosmetic. HGH research in mice suggests that increased levels of the hormone may actually shorten lifespan. Added to this, hormone injections are prohibitively expensive and have to be prescribed by a medical doctor.

Few large, long term, properly conducted HGH studies have been done on the relative benefits and risks of therapy with this hormone. We simply don’t know what the long term effects of using the treatment might be. From the HGH facts that are known, however, it seems clear that the majority of the real benefits can be realized by other established methods with none of the risk. Exercise produces leaner body mass. Other hormone treatment can increase bone density. A quality vitamin and mineral supplement will provide nutrients and antioxidants that from part of a healthy anti aging routine. Discuss HGH research and other alternatives with your doctor if you are considering trying this type of hormone therapy.

True HGH doctors (human growth hormone doctors) are endocrinologists, also known as internal medicine specialists. These medical professionals have specialized in the study of endocrine glands in the body that produce hormones and other substances. The pituitary gland, which produces human growth hormone, is one of these glands. No one understands the function of the pituitary gland, the production of HGH, and the implications of abnormalities in growth hormone secretion better than an endocrinologist.

HGH therapy is appropriate and recommended in specific situations. The most obvious of these is growth hormone deficiency, a condition most obvious in children who experience arrested growth. Adults with growth hormone deficiency suffer from a more subtle group of symptoms: the hormone regulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism, blood sugar levels, fat deposition, muscle strength, emotional health and energy levels. When medical tests confirm an HGH deficiency, HGH doctors can provide hormone replacement therapy by injection.

It’s no surprise that thoughtful physicians and consumers have noticed that many of the typical signs of aging - increased body fat, muscle loss, weakness, declining energy levels, declining mental status and even an increased risk of abnormal blood sugar levels - correlate with symptoms of HGH deficiency. The association has lead to the investigation of HGH therapy not only for age-related illnesses but also for anti aging in general. The lack of solid supporting evidence and the difficulty of providing injected hormone therapy, in turn, have resulted in a split between endocrinologists and other medical specialists calling themselves HGH doctors.

The first issue is that medical trials, while they have shown positive effects of HGH therapy, have not provided evidence that hormone supplementation prolongs life or alleviates disease any better than other standard treatments. Nor have they proven that long term growth hormone injections are safe. There remain only a handful of medical conditions for which growth hormone injections are approved, and aging is not one of them. Anti aging HGH doctors continue to interpret the evidence as being supportive of hormone replacement for anti aging, and some even provide hormone injections for this purpose (expensive and, again, not an approved use for the therapy).

Another group of HGH doctors, made up of physicians, naturopaths, homeopaths, and other health care professionals have tackled the problems of HGH treatment by attempting to provide hormone replacement without injections. Products available on the market include dietary supplements that are supposed to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more natural HGH, and supplements meant to actually mimic the action of HGH in the body, producing the same beneficial effect. While these products may do as they claim, at least in some people, and be as safe as any vitamin, mineral, or dietary supplement, the bottom line is that scientific evidence doesn’t (or at least doesn’t yet) support this type of HGH therapy for human anti aging. For now, the consumer must decide for herself or himself whether the published studies and testimonials support HGH supplements sufficiently to try them.

Human growth hormone (HGH) regulates growth in childhood, and years ago, adults just over four feet in height were often the result of HGH deficiency left untreated. The hormone was isolated in the 1950s and thereafter, as it’s importance became better understood, doctors began treating children with impaired growth with hormone harvested from the pituitary glands of human cadavers. the health hazards of such a practice are abundantly obvious to us today, and fortunately, synthetic hormone is now available for hormone replacement therapy.

Growth hormone deficiency has additional consequences beyond impaired growth in childhood. The hormone plays a role in protein metabolism and the production of proteins in various tissues. It facilitates breakdown of fats and contributes to a leaner physique. finally, it has an important role on carbohydrate metabolism and the maintenance of blood glucose levels. HGH deficiency left untreated in adults can have very serious health consequences including early death.

The symptoms of growth hormone deficiency in adulthood are usually subtle and develop slowly over time, usually following surgery involving the pituitary gland or signaling the onset of a pituitary abnormality. Patients complain of lack of energy, weight gain, and loss of strength. Over the long term, HGH deficiency left untreated leads to a loss of bone density, increased risk of cardiovascular illness and emotional instability. Treatment of the condition relies on injections of the hormone on a regular basis and is quite successful.

The use of injected HGH to treat growth hormone deficiency is the only therapeutic use for which the hormone is approved; however, in recent years it has been used by both athletes, to augment athletic performance, and older people, to reverse or arrest the aging process. Particularly with respect to anti aging, the rationale is that the drop in growth hormone production that normally occurs in the human body with increasing age is analogous to HGH deficiency left untreated, and that artificially increasing hormone levels will reverse certain common aging processes.

While injections of human growth hormone do produce noticeable effects in the elderly, particularly younger looking skin, increased muscle mass, and less body fat, these changes are accompanied by adverse side effects much more commonly than in treatment for growth hormone deficiency, and there is less evidence for real health improvement. In other words, the benefits are primarily cosmetic in nature and may not be worth the risk and expense - true HGH deficiency left untreated is a condition that should be rectified, but there may well be better ways to combat aging.

An interesting new development in the so called growth hormone deficiency associated with aging is the appearance of oral supplements that either stimulate hormone production by the pituitary, or provide valuable amino acids which might have benefical effects similar to those of HGH. Research and experience have yet to clarify whether these supplements are effective, and injections remain the only way to get the effects of real HGH.

Genf20 hgh is one of the human growth hormone (HGH) releasers available from alternative medicine vendors. Building on what science has revealed about the effects of human growth hormone, these products are intended to induce increased levels of hormone production by the human pituitary gland. As one might expect, HGH plays a vital role in regulating growth in children and adolescents, with levels falling significantly after full growth is attained; we now know that the hormone has significant activity in the adult body as well, although the effects are much more subtle.

In adults, human growth hormone (the hormone itself, not HGH releasers) primarily affects metabolism and certain other tissue maintenance processes. It helps regulate fat metabolism, preventing fat storage to some extent; protein metabolism, enabling production of new tissues; and carbohydrate metabolism, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. The hormone also affects bone density and supports emotional stability. Symptoms of deficiency in an adult include fragile bones, emotional instability, muscle and strength loss with increased fat and decreased blood sugar levels. We all recognize many of these health problems as being much more common in seniors than in the rest of the population - it’s logical then to draw an association between the normal drop in HGH and the subsequent development of these age related problems. Products like genf20 hgh are the logical result of that association.

But why genf20 hgh: why not growth hormone itself? It turns out that human growth hormone cannot be given by mouth - it has to be injected to reach the tissues it acts upon. It can be produced synthetically, but it’s very expensive, and clinical trials have revealed that it causes significant side effects when it is used for anti aging purposes. Hence the rush to produce HGH releasers, products that provide HGH without the pain, the expense, and the side effects. Unfortunately, while the science behind the role of human growth hormone is solid and reliable, products like genf20 hgh are relatively new, and largely untested.

HGH releasers are typically made up mostly of amino acids - the protein building blocks of larger protein molecules like human growth hormone. These smaller molecules are transported into the blood from the intestine (HGH is not because of its larger size) and used to repair and maintain proteins in the body such as muscle, hormones, and other tissues. Some products, like genf20 hgh contain very little else, while some are expanded to a comprehensive vitamin and mineral supplement as well, aimed at supporting overall health.

Taking a nutritional supplement like genf20 hgh, with its payload of amino acids is unlikely to do anyone any harm. After all, an ordinary egg delivers no less than 18 different amino acids to the body. HGH releasers, of course, have specific amounts of specific amino acids thought to support production of growth hormone by the pituitary. Most of them are proprietary blends so we don’t know what the relative proportions are. It’s important to understand, however, that it isn’t clear whether these blends actually reliably induce production of hormone - the approach may be more successful in conjunction with other dietary changes, in conjunction with exercise, or in different age groups. Hopefully future research will clarify this optimistic but tentative stab at anti aging.

Human growth hormone (HGH) has become a popular product for people trying to stave off the physical effects of the passage of time, and many people are searching for the best HGH supplement. Using growth hormone as an anti aging treatment, however, is fraught with difficulties - legal impediments, expense, and a lack of solid evidence that the hype is based on fact.

Unless you have a lot of money to spend, and you’re willing to risk some unpleasant side effects, rule out hormone injections as the best HGH supplement. Hormone injections are the only way to get the real hormone to the body’s tissues but they are only available by prescription and only for specific medical conditions that do not include aging. Many people who have had injections as anti aging treatment have experienced side effects, some of them serious, and medical specialists concerned about the popularity of growth hormone contend that the treatments may, in fact, do more harm than good.

In the absence of injection safety and availability, anti aging professionals have tried to produce the best HGH supplement by designing a product that can be taken orally, and that will induce the pituitary gland to produce more of the desired hormone on its own. It’s a novel idea for an anti aging treatment and there are a number of products taking this approach. The best of these may work in some people, but there are indications that they have more impact when the person taking them is young - like the actual normal production of HGH in humans, the response seems to fall with advancing age.

Other contenders for the best HGH supplement are combinations of amino acids that are intended to be like HGH, that is, they should act on the body’s tissues in the same way as the actual hormone would and provide the same beneficial anti aging treatment. Whether or not these compounds actually confer the benefits of human growth hormone has not been rigorously tested in proper scientific study, but the approach is a short step away from what is probably the most sensible approach and the best HGH supplement of all.

The absolute best approach to long life and lasting health is a lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet and plenty of regular exercise. Because it’s a real challenge today to obtain the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from our over-processed, chemical-laden foods, many people including medical professionals advocate the use of a dietary supplement. Because our nutritional needs vary as we go through life, a supplement specifically designed for older people makes sense, especially if anti aging treatment is in demand. Food scientists are learning more every day about how nutrients act and interact in our bodies. That knowledge can now be used to design the best HGH supplement without having to navigate the difficulties of growth hormone treatment.

Human growth hormone (HGH) is being used as a therapy against physical aging but the question is: does HGH work? To attempt to answer this question is to try to navigate a maze of different circumstances and varied types of growth hormone treatment. To begin, it’s important to understand that human growth hormone is a hormone normally produced by the human pituitary gland. In children and adolescents, the hormone regulates growth; in adults it plays a role in regulation of bone density, blood sugar, fat metabolism and storage, strength and endurance, and emotional stability.

Does HGH work when treatment is used to treat a properly diagnosed case of growth hormone deficiency? Yes, in some ways. This is the one situation where hormone replacement can and possibly should be used - the condition can be serious. Most other therapeutic HGH uses are illegal, at least in the US. The hormone is synthetically produced and is administered by regular injections. Like most hormone replacement therapies, it aims at returning the patient to an essentially normal state of health, though there may be lasting consequences of the deficiency.

Does HGH work as an anti-aging therapy? There is actually not good scientific evidence that the injected hormone prolongs life, improves physical health, or supports emotional or cognitive health. In fact, the reverse may be true when large amounts of the hormone are used. Studies of therapeutic HGH in seniors have shown increased leanness, increased strength, higher bone density and younger looking skin. However, with the exception of the skin changes, other therapeutic approaches have been equally successful at building strength and bone, and growth hormone injections are significantly associated with side effects.

Does HGH work when the hormone is ingested or sprayed under the tongue instead of being injected? No. the hormone cannot be absorbed and utilized by the body in this way. Over the counter therapeutic HGH products that claim to contain the actual hormone are not only illegal (HGH can only be legally obtained with a prescription), they are making false health claims.

The alternative health industry has created some novel approaches to the problem of providing therapeutic HGH to consumers who are seeking its purported anti aging effects. These are either products intended to boost the pituitary’s production of the hormone naturally, or combinations of amino acids designed to mimic the hormone in the body. Does HGH work when it’s delivered like this? Again, scientific evidence is lacking - it’s really too soon to say, but the products are, at least, unlikely to do any real harm.

What are the adrenal glands?

The adrenal glands are the part of the body responsible for releasing three different classes of hormones. These hormones control many important functions in the body, such as:

• Maintaining metabolic processes, such as managing blood sugar levels and regulating inflammation
• Regulating the balance of salt and water
• Controlling the “fight or flight” response to stress
• Maintaining pregnancy
• Initiating and controlling sexual maturation during childhood and puberty

The adrenal glands are also an important source of sex steroids, such as estrogen and testosterone.

What are adrenal gland disorders?

Adrenal gland disorders occur when the adrenal glands don’t work properly. Sometimes, the cause is a problem in another gland that helps to regulate the adrenal gland. In other cases, the adrenal gland itself may have the problem. The NICHD conducts and supports research on many adrenal gland disorders. Some examples include:

• Cushing’s Syndrome - Cushing’s syndrome happens when a person’s body is exposed to too much of the hormone cortisol. In this syndrome, a person’s body makes more cortisol than it needs. For example, adrenal tumors can cause the body to produce too much cortisol. In some cases, children are born with a form of adrenal hyperplasia that leads to Cushing syndrome. Or, in some cases, certain medications can cause the body to make too much cortisol.
• Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia - Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is a genetic disorder of adrenal gland deficiency. In this disorder, the body doesn’t make enough of the hormone cortisol. The bodies of people with congenital adrenal hyperplasia may also have other hormone imbalances, such as not making enough aldosterone, but making too much androgen.
• Pituitary Tumors - The pituitary gland is located in the brain and helps to regulate the activity of most other glands in the body, including the adrenal glands. In rare cases, benign (non-cancerous) tumors may grow on the pituitary gland, which may restrict the hormones it releases.
  In some cases, tumors on the pituitary can lead to Cushing’s syndrome – this is called Cushing disease. In other cases, the tumors reduce the adrenal gland’s release of hormones needed for the “fight or flight” response to stress. If the body is unable to handle physiological stress—a condition called Addison’s disease—it can be fatal.

What are the treatments for adrenal gland disorders?

The treatment for adrenal gland disorders depends on the specific disorder or the specific cause of the disorder. For example:

• The treatment for Cushing’s syndrome depends on the cause. If the excess cortisol is caused by medication, your health care provider can change dosages or try a different medication to correct the problem. If the Cushing’s syndrome is caused by the body making too much cortisol, treatments may include oral medication, surgery, radiation, or a combination of these treatments.
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia can’t be cured, but it can be treated and controlled. People with congenital adrenal hyperplasia can take medication to help replace the hormones their bodies are not making. Some people with congenital adrenal hyperplasia only need these medications when they are sick, but others may need to take them every day.
• Doctors can successfully treat most pituitary tumors with microsurgery, radiation therapy, surgery, drugs, or a combination of these treatments. Surgery is currently the treatment of choice for tumors that grow rapidly, especially if they threaten or affect vision. The treatment plan for other pituitary tumors differs according to the type and size of the tumor.