A great deal has been written in the medical literature about injectable human growth hormone (iHGH) during the last several years. As a result of the lay press reporting on these medical studies, people with limited disposable income and those on the antiaging bandwagon are looking for noninjectable HGH products that may give them the same effects as the conventional injectable, with the advantage of no injection, nearly one-tenth the price and no prescription needed.
HGH, comprised of 191 amino acids linked in a specific sequence, is secreted in pulses from the anterior pituitary gland. These pulses range from 9 to 29 pulses per 24 hours and can be strengthened by exercise and other variables. Most secretions occur during deep sleep, or in response to heavy exertion. Once secreted by the pituitary gland, circulating levels of HGH stimulate production of insulinlike growth factor-1 (IGF-1) from the liver. Most of the positive effects of HGH are mediated by the IGF-1 system, which also includes specific binding proteins. This is a highly regulated system, and several factors play a role in the pulsatile HGH secretion.
Only a few pharmaceutical companies worldwide are capable of producing injectable HGH. Studies show a host of beneficial effects using iHGH. The positive effects have been reported on body composition (lean body mass, fat mass, fluid volume), bone mineral density, muscle strength, exercise performance, cardiovascular health, metabolism (energy expenditure as well as protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism), skin, immune function, psychological well-being and quality of life. All studies in the medical literature showing the benefits of restoring HGH used the injectable form. This is an important and often overlooked fact.
No published studies have done a direct head-to-head comparison of injectable verses noninjectable HGH. Until this is done, the only available data are from companies marketing and selling these noninjectable forms. Certainly, nHGH products are available from many sources, but there is much concern about their effectiveness.
Amino Acid Secretagogues
This category of nHGH products uses amino acids as “secretagogues,” which stimulate pituitary gland production of HGH. Other proprietary agents are usually part of the powder/tablet mix and give each product a presumed marketing advantage. Although studies show certain amino acids in combination, such as L-lysine and L-arginine, can stimulate pituitary HGH, no published studies show evidence that these other proprietary factors provide additional pituitary HGH secretion.
Pharmaceutical companies are investigating several biosynthetic hexa- and heptapeptides as well as nonpeptide secretagogues, but these are considered drugs. Should any of these find application, there will be a lot of news about them.
The claims and statements made by several companies advertising oral products require careful reading. It is routine to see the benefits of iHGH listed, with the implication that the advertised oral product (nHGH) will have the same benefit.
Walter Essman, M.D., Ph.D., at City University of New York, conducted a study for one company and reported average IGF-1 levels increased by 25%, 46% and 93% at 60, 120 and 180 days, respectively. Thirteen subjects (six females and seven males), ages 4772, were each given 15gm packets (each containing L-glutamine, L-lysine and L-arginine, plus sugars, citric acid and natural flavoring) to be taken three times a day on an empty stomach for 180 days. Essman concluded that this amino acid formula is an effective HGH secretagogue, and no adverse side effects were noted.
The basis for calling this formula effective was on the elevation of IGF-1 levels. However, there was no control group, and other endpoints for judging effectiveness such as body composition and metabolism were not reported. In addition, because the study has not been published, no one has substantiated the data, which therefore become suspect. New studies should be done using urinary measures of HGH, not IGF-1, for greater accuracy, as IGF-1 levels do not always respond as expected.
Growth Hormone can help with the following
Congestive Heart Failure
A small study of patients with congestive heart failure who received growth hormone at 4IU subcutaneously every other day, compared to patients who received a placebo, showed that growth hormone corrected endothelial dysfunction and vasodilatation in subjects with congestive heart failure. [J Am Coll Cardiol, Jan. 2, 2002;39(l): pp.90-95]
Key
| May do some good |
| Highly recommended |
Glossary
Hormones
Chemical substances secreted by a variety of body organs that are carried by the bloodstream and usually influence cells some distance from the source of production. Hormones signal certain enzymes to perform their functions and, in this way, regulate such body functions as blood sugar levels, insulin levels, the menstrual cycle, and growth. These can be prescription, over-the-counter, synthetic or natural agents. Examples include adrenal hormones such as corticosteroids and aldosterone; glucagon, growth hormone, insulin, testosterone, estrogens, progestins, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin, and thyroid hormones such as thyroxine and calcitonin.
Anterior
In the front or forward part of the organ or toward the head of the body.
Pituitary
The pituitary gland is small and bean-shaped, located below the brain in the skull base very near the hypothalamus. Weighing less than one gram, the pituitary gland is often called the "master gland" since it controls the secretion of hormones by other endocrine glands.
Protein
Compounds composed of hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen present in the body and in foods that form complex combinations of amino acids. Protein is essential for life and is used for growth and repair. Foods that supply the body with protein include animal products, grains, legumes, and vegetables. Proteins from animal sources contain the essential amino acids. Proteins are changed to amino acids in the body.
Mineral
Plays a vital role in regulating many body functions. They act as catalysts in nerve response, muscle contraction and the metabolism of nutrients in foods. They regulate electrolyte balance and hormonal production, and they strengthen skeletal structures.
Cardiovascular
Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels.
Metabolism
The chemical processes of living cells in which energy is produced in order to replace and repair tissues and maintain a healthy body. Responsible for the production of energy, biosynthesis of important substances, and degradation of various compounds.
Carbohydrates
The sugars and starches in food. Sugars are called simple carbohydrates and found in such foods as fruit and table sugar. Complex carbohydrates are composed of large numbers of sugar molecules joined together, and are found in grains, legumes, and vegetables like potatoes, squash, and corn.
Lipid
Fat-soluble substances derived from animal or vegetable cells by nonpolar solvents (e.g. ether); the term can include the following types of materials: fatty acids, glycerides, phospholipids, alcohols and waxes.
Amino Acid
An organic acid containing nitrogen chemical building blocks that aid in the production of protein in the body. Eight of the twenty-two known amino acids are considered "essential," and must be obtained from dietary sources because the body can not synthesize them.
pH
A measure of an environment's acidity or alkalinity. The more acidic the solution, the lower the pH. For example, a pH of 1 is very acidic; a pH of 7 is neutral; a pH of 14 is very alkaline.
Gram
(gm): A metric unit of weight, there being approximately 28 grams in one ounce.
Stomach
A hollow, muscular, J-shaped pouch located in the upper part of the abdomen to the left of the midline. The upper end (fundus) is large and dome-shaped; the area just below the fundus is called the body of the stomach. The fundus and the body are often referred to as the cardiac portion of the stomach. The lower (pyloric) portion curves downward and to the right and includes the antrum and the pylorus. The function of the stomach is to begin digestion by physically breaking down food received from the esophagus. The tissues of the stomach wall are composed of three types of muscle fibers: circular, longitudinal and oblique. These fibers create structural elasticity and contractibility, both of which are needed for digestion. The stomach mucosa contains cells which secrete hydrochloric acid and this in turn activates the other gastric enzymes pepsin and rennin. To protect itself from being destroyed by its own enzymes, the stomach’s mucous lining must constantly regenerate itself.
Secretagogue
Agent promoting secretion.