“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
If this hasn’t become obvious over the past 3 years, let me spell out what I see clearly happening: The real truths lie beneath the therapies at the receiving end of the loudest shaming, screaming, and fear mongering. Over the years I have come to embrace criticism from the haters. I wear it as a badge of honor – actually, more as a sword and shield that accompany the necessary tools of battle.
Truth telling is a dangerous business these days.
“Don’t take hormones – they cause cancer and blood clots.”
“There’s not enough science on the safety of peptides.”
“Stem cells are snake oil.”
“Ozempic will cause osteoporosis, ‘stomach paralysis’, your hair to fall out, and your face to melt off.”
I love these jabs – throwbacks to the old Big Tobacco playbook of ‘introduce doubt’ that hasn’t been upgraded since the 1950s. A classic but effective strategy of disinformation which was devised to protect revenues despite mounting evidence of harm and maleficence. The opposition to health (you know who they are) is severe. They don’t want you to be strong, lean, and mentally dialed in. They want you sick, fat, and easy to control.
Understand what a threat wellness is. The dollars generated by simply getting older are incomprehensible. Medical management of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia…the Four Horseman, we say – generate dollars that are beyond our wildest imagination. Our chief regulatory agencies allow justifiable off-label prescribing of every single solitary medication available in the US today – save one:
Human Growth Hormone (hGH)
Take a read, and you’ll quickly understand why.
Unlocking the Potential: The Remarkable Benefits of Human Growth Hormone
In the grand theater of life, human growth hormone takes center stage as quite possibly the most crucial player in orchestrating growth, development, and overall well-being. Often referred to as “the master hormone”, hGH is the chief scientist of biological engineering that works behind the scenes to promote healing, regenerative sleep, sculpt our bodies, drive metabolism, and maintain our health as we make our way through the stages of life. Historically regarded as therapy for body builders and fitness fanatics, the reality is hGH demonstrates clear benefit in any aging body with suboptimal levels. When viewed through the lens of anti-aging and disease prevention, hGH has wide-ranging benefits that extend far beyond the realms of Hollywood.
What is Human Growth Hormone?
Let’s get some definitions out of the way first. Human growth hormone (hGH) is a regulatory signaling molecule made by a pea-sized powerhouse called the pituitary gland which resides deep within the brain. Early in life, the pituitary makes massive amounts of hGH, which drives the growth of bones, muscles, and other tissues. But with each passing year, the pituitary produces less and less. The pitch of the decline is different for everyone, but we are all on the same one-way train to Ageville. In the end, youth promoting hormones like hGH at some point in time, end up in the tank.
Growth hormone was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for use in adults in 1996 and has been used for the same indications in Europe since 1983. Long ago, it was discovered that low levels of hGH in adults was associated with an increased risk of premature heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and osteoporosis.
Growth hormone has received negative press over the years due to its history of abuse by the performance enhancement community. High dose or supraphysiologic amounts of hGH are no doubt risky for a multitude of physiologic reasons. More is not better when it comes to any hormone replacement therapy – precision dosing and close physician oversight are critical. Despite the known harms associated with too much hGH, the well-established benefits of therapeutic hGH in adults with suboptimal levels are undeniable.
What Does hGH Do?
What doesn’t it do? That might be easier to answer. Well, it will not drag your ass off the couch and take you to the gym. It will not make healthy food choices for you. It will not do your taxes. Growth hormone will not fill your weekly ‘pill planner’ of vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3s, and probiotics. You’re going to have to do those things on your own, but hGH has a good part of the rest of your anti-aging routine covered. It upregulates healing, promotes the building of lean muscle tissue, burns fat at rest, and drops your brain down into the yummiest, most regenerative of sleep states.
They don’t call it the fountain of youth for nothing. Let me hit the high points:
Benefit 1: Muscle Mass
This is the obvious one. Growth hormone works to directly stimulate the production of amino acids, the building blocks of protein, which are essential for development of muscle and repair. In adults, hGH works to specifically preserve muscle tissue in the heart. With optimal hGH levels, skeletal and cardiac muscle perform and recover faster, leading to enhanced muscle tone and strength over time.
Benefit 2: Bone Health
Strong bones determine the structural integrity of the foundation upon which we stand. Growth hormone works to activate the division and multiplication of osteoblasts, the cells responsible for building bone. This process ensures optimal bone density and strength, reducing the risk of fractures and bone loss over time. All the calcium in the world will not strengthen bone without the proper hormonal signals telling it what to do.
Benefit 3: Metabolism
Growth hormone engages in a delicate ‘dance for two’ with another hormone called insulin, helping to carefully regulate glucose metabolism. By stimulating the breakdown of fats for energy and preventing glucose from being stored in fat cells, hGH plays a critical role in determining healthy body composition. It tips the scales in the direction of ‘lean’ while insulin wants to move us in the direction of ‘fat’. This physiology can be particularly beneficial for individuals working to manage their weight and reduce their risk of insulin resistance and its many related co-morbidities.
Benefit 4: Energy and Sleep
Ever sit exhaustedly sipping coffee while your kids run hair-on-fire circles around the house and wonder, ‘where the hell did all my energy go’? Growth hormone influences the metabolism of sugars and fats, effectively mainlining energy into the bloodstream ensuring a steady supply for your body to tap into. Just as quickly as it turns the gas on, it pulls out the brakes. At night, this hormone flips the brain into the most restorative stage of sleep. We call this ‘slow wave’ or phase 4 sleep. This is when your brain does its filling of the events of the day and your body repairs from injury or illness. Kids have lots and lots of hGH – hence, they have lots and lots of energy and sleep-like-the-dead rest. Growth hormone gears up those fuel lines in adults and restores regenerative sleep.
Benefit 5: Vanity
As we age, our skin and hair embark on a destructive journey of their own – one marked by wrinkles, fine lines, and wiry grey straw. Growth hormone is the only hormone that directly upregulates collagen production under the skin restoring firmness and elasticity. It works on hair follicles to thicken new hair strands and speed hair growth. While it won’t turn back the clock to your high school prom, it can certainly help restore a healthy glow to your face and hair.
Benefit 6: Cognitive Clarity
You worked with her for 10 years and see her at the grocery store – why on God’s green earth can’t you remember her name? You just had your keys, where did you put them? You walked all the way to the laundry room in the basement to get something…what the hell was it? Ah – the aging brain. Look – we’ve all been there and quite frankly it’s scary. Optimal levels of hGH stimulate the development of brand-new neurons and blood vessels in the brain. Growth hormone has many protective effects on the central nervous system and has even demonstrated beneficial effects in patients with spinal cord injuries. Some studies even suggest that youthful levels of hGH may contribute to improved mood and reduced feelings of anxiety. No one claims that hGH will have you Jeopardy-contestant-ready, but having well-balanced hormones will help you tackle mental challenges with a clearer mind and a more positive outlook.
Myths About hGH
- Growth hormone causes cancer.
No. HGH is not indicated in patients with actively growing untreated cancer, but it does not cause or unearth early cancers.
- Growth hormone causes insulin resistance.
No. Chances are high that you are insulin resistant all on your own due to an extensive list of dietary and lifestyle reasons. In some athletic circles it is commonplace to use exogenous insulin alongside massive hGH supplementation. It should go without saying that this is a set up for metabolic disaster. There is no question that hGH works best if you are living insulin controlled, but therapeutic hGH does not cause insulin resistance.
- Growth hormone is unregulated.
“Au contraire mon frère” Quite the contrary – hGH may be the most regulated hormone on the planet – well, at least in the US. It is FDA approved for use in a handful of indications including pediatric and adult growth hormone deficiency but it’s use is not allowed off-label. Having said that, there is an extremely profitable black market for “growth hormone” on the internet and probably at your local gym. It’s over the counter in Mexico. I have had patients bring me their “growth hormone” and trust me – it never is. You all know how I generally feel about Pharma, but if a patient needs hGH, they need to use actual brand name hGH – preferably Genotropin® or Norditropin®.
Conclusion
Overall hormone optimization is one of the key components to overall health optimization. Growth hormone does not exist in a vacuum – it harmonizes with the entirety of the endocrine system. Balance is key. While the benefits of therapeutic hGH replacement are profound, it is essential to remember that safe treatment requires guidance by an experienced healthcare professional who can tailor a plan to your individual needs.
So, cheers to hGH – the biological conductor of growth, vitality, and resilience. It is the hormonal central in orchestrating the masterpiece that is your life.
References
Effects of Growth Hormone Administration on Muscle Strength in Men over 50 Years Old
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3870652/
Links Between Testosterone, Estrogen, and the Growth Hormone/Insulin-Like Growth Factor Axis and Resistance Exercise Muscle Adaptations
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33519525/
Anabolic processes in human skeletal muscle: restoring the identities of growth hormone and testosterone
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20959702/
Benefits of growth hormone treatment on bone metabolism, bone density and bone strength in growth hormone deficiency and osteoporosis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10993598/
Low-dose growth hormone treatment with diet restriction accelerates body fat loss, exerts anabolic effect and improves growth hormone secretory dysfunction in obese adults
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10352397/
Growth hormone and cognitive function
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23629538/
Growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 and the aging brain
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25300732/
Growth Hormone and the Human Hair Follicle
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34948002
Off-label use of hormones as an anti-aging strategy: a review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25092967/