Human Growth Hormone Therapy: Complex, ControversialGrowth hormone therapy for adults is a highly complex and highly controversial subject. Opponents of HGH therapy demonize its use in humans, while proponents extol its benefits in counteracting the aging process. As with many controversial subjects, the truth exists somewhere in between these two extreme notions. The following articles attempt to provide a comprehensive, yet easy to understand explanation of growth hormone therapy in humans. All of the information provided is based on current scientific evidence, not conjecture. Years from now, the generally accepted opinion on growth hormone therapy may change; however, at the current time we are limited in our knowledge by the information at hand.
Where Did It All Begin?
In 1990, Dr. Daniel Rudman and his colleagues published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine suggesting that growth hormone therapy for older men could positively alter body composition (decrease fat and increase muscle).1 After this publication, interest in and use of HGH therapy exploded. Anti-aging clinics popped up and proclaimed HGH therapy to be a remedy for the aging process, and companies began selling HGH supplements. As a result, HGH therapy as an anti-aging therapy is the most popular health-related search on the Internet.
Despite its popularity as a “magic bullet” for aging, HGH therapy has never actually been shown to slow, stop, or reverse the aging process. Nor has HGH therapy been shown to increase lifespan. Additionally, the sale or use of HGH for anti-aging is illegal in the US.
GH therapy may produce positive body composition changes; however, it frequently leads to adverse side effects. Additionally, the long-term effects of GH therapy, such as its link to cancer, are unknown. The lack of long-term evaluation is perhaps one of the biggest deterrents to GH therapy. Based on the available evidence and the high cost of HGH therapy (approximately $10,000 per year), the mainstream medical community simply cannot recommend such therapy for older men without overt deficiency due to an identifiable cause.
With that being said, GH therapy for older men with true GH deficiency can be highly beneficial. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the safety and cost-benefit relationship of GH therapy for older men with age-related decreases in GH secretion. GH therapy will never be a panacea for aging, but it does possess the potential to mitigate problems associated with age-related declines in GH secretion. Long-term studies will be necessary to determine whether or not GH therapy can be safe and effective for otherwise healthy older men.
The EMG Growth Hormone Section
The following EMG section provides an in-depth review of HGH therapy to make you a more informed, and thus, healthier man. (The section focuses primarily on HGH therapy for healthy men with age-related declines in GH secretion rather than GH deficiency due to an identifiable cause.) Here, you will learn about the relationship between aging and GH levels, the benefits and adverse effects of GH therapy, the major concerns regarding administration of GH therapy, the legality of GH therapy in the United States, and the available protocols for diagnosing GH deficiency, dosing GH replacement therapy, and monitoring GH levels. You will also learn how to decrease declines in your natural growth hormone levels. Click on the links below to learn more.
References1. Rudman D, Feller AG, Nagraj HS, et al. Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old. N Engl J Med. Jul 1990; 323 (1): 1-6.