HGH supplements
Whenever a celebrity suddenly loses weight the rumors start. Among all the crazy accusations hurled at the newly thin star, the use of the human growth hormone (HGH) is always among the first of all the accusations leveled. Why is that? Are HGH supplements really the key to weight loss?
HGH, or Human Growth Hormone, is a hormone that is produced in the pituitary gland. It is responsible for growth or, more specifically, height. HGH can also increase your muscle mass, help your body retain calcium, strengthen your bones, control your blood sugar and reduce your fat all while strengthening your immune system. It does so by stimulating the liver produced growth factor 1.
Many people take HGH supplements while attempting to lose weight or build muscle. Sometimes they do so to get a temporary physical change in time for a competition or event, and other times they take HGH in an effort to effect permanent physical changes. It is important to check with your primary care physician before you begin taking HGH. Others use HGH because they believe that it increases the speed at which the metabolism works, thereby encouraging intense calorie burning without any need to exercise, and to reverse aging. How can HGH supplements reverse aging? Well, proponents of the hormone say that this hormone is produced less and less by the pituitary gland as we age. That is the key to aging—this reduction in HGH. Since HGH spurns tissue growth, the tissue in your skin is less easily replaced without HGH and you begin to look older. With an added boost of HGH you make up for your aging and supposedly stay youthful.
Are all the claims true?
Studies done on men who used HGH have shown an increase in the elasticity of their skin which could mean that it works—but these studies were by no means definitive. These studies also showed less bone loss and increased muscle mass in the men that used the HGH supplements.
Now, before you reach for those topical, sprayable or injectible HGH supplements keep in mind that you do not know if these over the counter HGH supplements have the same amount of HGH as was used in the trials done on men. It could be that the amount of HGH in the supplement is too low or that it isn’t in a format that you can get enough HGH out of. HGH is available by prescription only and must meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards for distribution in the U.S. so chances are, those over the counter HGH supplements do not contain actual HGH.
Are there any side effects?
There have been some incidents of breast cancer in users of HGH supplements. It is possible that cellular changes in the tissue are the cause of this. Other side effects include:
- Premature death: HGH supplements can cause bones in the face and the connective tissue to grow too much and this condition (called acromegaly) can shorten your life span.
- Thyroid damage
- Liver damage
- Water retention
- Low blood sugar
- Enlargement of the heart
These risks illustrate the importance of taking only HGH supplements that have been prescribed by your primary care physician. Additionally, they show why it is imperative that you have regular visits with your doctor and get all possible medical screenings to make sure your internal organs are functioning as they should be. No matter how much you want to lose weight, look younger or grow taller, the risk of cancer, liver and thyroid damage, acromegaly and premature death are too great to ignore.
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