What does HGH do for the body?

HGH, produced by the pituitary gland, spurs growth in children and adolescents. It also helps to regulate body composition, body fluids, muscle and bone growth, sugar and fat metabolism, and possibly heart function.

What are the benefits of HGH?

HGH helps to maintain, build, and repair healthy tissue in the brain and other organs. This hormone can help to speed up healing after an injury and repair muscle tissue after exercise. This helps to build muscle mass, boost metabolism, and burn fat. HGH is also said to benefit the quality and appearance of the skin.

What are the negative effects of HGH?

Does HGH make you grow?

Long-term use of HGH injections can cause a condition called acromegaly. Adults cannot grow taller by using the synthetic growth hormone. High doses will thicken the person's bones instead of lengthening them.

What happens when you increase HGH?

HGH also boosts muscle growth, strength, and exercise performance, while helping you recover from injury and disease ( 4 , 7 , 8 ).

Specific Hormones | Functions of Growth Hormone (hGH)

How long does it take for HGH to work?

Although it takes about 3 to 6 months to realize any height differences, the important thing is that your child will grow — probably 1 to 2 inches within the first 6 months of starting treatment.

Are growth hormones safe?

High levels of human growth hormone over a long period can produce irreversible acromegaly, but even smaller doses can lead to complications such as heart disease and diabetes. And because these hormones must be taken as injections, there are further administration risks such as a blood clot or dose error.

How many inches can HGH give you?

For short, healthy children, studies predict that growth hormone will deliver an extra 1 to 3 inches as an adult. And that's the average; other factors come into play. If both parents are short, that limits what growth hormone therapy can do. "We can't modify your genetic potential," Vuguin said.

Does HGH make you stronger?

When people take synthetic HGH, it can increase their muscle mass and decrease their body fat, according to the Mayo Clinic. But it doesn't make people stronger or boost performance, according to experts from Harvard University.

Does HGH shorten your life?

Other research has shown that people with low levels of HGH due to surgical or radiation damage to the pituitary gland that makes HGH have increased risk of cardiovascular disease, a factor that can shorten life span.

Can HGH help hair loss?

In some cases, HGH or human growth hormone therapy has been an effective method of restoring and maintaining hair growth. For some HGH therapy has effectively restore hair loss and skin elasticity while reducing wrinkles and improving energy restoration.

Is growth hormone a steroid?

Human growth hormone or HGH is often lumped in with anabolic steroids, and both figure prominently in the recent Mitchell Report. Now, some athletes and their agents are making a distinction between the substances, defending the past use of HGH as a way to treat injuries.

What age is best for growth hormone treatment?

GH treatment is indicated for children who were born SGA, who have persistent short stature (less than or equal to –2 SDS for sex and population), and who are growing at a subnormal rate at the age of 3–4 years [45].

When should you take HGH?

Adults weighing 99 to 121 pounds (45 to 55 kg)—5 mg injected under the skin once a day at bedtime. Adults weighing 77 to 98 pounds (35 to 44 kg)—4 mg injected under the skin once a day at bedtime. Adults weighing less than 77 pounds (35 kg)—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor.

How often should you inject HGH?

HGH-deficient adults usually take 1-2 IU/d by subcutaneous injection every evening. Athletes sometimes take as much as 10-25 IU/d, three or four times a week. It is often taken in 4-6 week cycles and in combination with other performance-enhancing agents, especially anabolic steroids.

What happens if you suddenly stop taking growth hormone?

Psychological symptoms of GH withdrawal, reported in interviews at end-point by placebo-treated patients, included decreased energy, and increased tiredness, pain, irritability and depression.

How much do growth hormone shots cost?

The price of treatment ranges from $10,000 to $60,000 annually. That works out to a cost of about $52,000 an inch. And insurance coverage for the shots varies.

Is HGH hard on your kidneys?

There have now been many studies on the effects of growth hormone (GH) on renal function. Chronically elevated GH levels, such as occur in acromegaly, are associated with an increase in renal plasma flow (RPF), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and kidney size.

Does HGH cause your jaw to grow?

Excess growth hormone causes side effects such as: Thickening of bones in the jaws, fingers and toes. The heavy jaw and large digits that result is referred to as acromegaly. Sweating.

Does HGH thicken skin?

The benefits of higher HGH are: Thickened skin. Smoother skin. Tighter skin.

What's the difference between HGH and steroids?

The bottom line is, steroids make you stronger and slower, but HGH improves your hand-eye coordination and eye sight, which allow you to make better contact with the ball.

Does HGH cause weight loss?

Using HGH for weight loss, muscle building, or anti-aging is experimental and controversial. HGH injections are believed to decrease fat storage and increase muscle growth to some extent, but studies have not shown this to be a safe or effective weight loss remedy.

Does HGH affect mood?

When HGH levels are low, they can significantly inhibit the body's repair mechanism, affecting how well your mind and body can manage depression and anxiety. A reduction in HGH can also lead to irritability, elevated pain levels, and decreased energy.