Pointless and Dangerous: HGH is No Fountain of Youth

You might have heard anti-ageing “experts” recommend HGH to delay the signs of ageing. However, not only is there no evidence that human growth hormone (HGH) works against the effects of ageing, using it as an anti-ageing medication may be dangerous for your wellbeing.

In a synthetic form, HGH is perfectly safe and useful as a treatment for some medical conditions. The hormone is produced in your pituitary gland, which is the small structure at the base of your brain that makes hormones to regulate important body functions, such as growth, blood pressure and reproduction. It is vital that children have the right amount of HGH in their bodies in order to achieve normal adult height, and so you body produces the hormone in abundance during childhood and adolescence. Once you reach maturity, HGH production then decreases throughout your adult life.

However, even though your body produces less HGH as you age, that doesn’t mean the hormone isn’t important to your wellness. HGH plays a crucial part in regulating your body composition (including the amount of muscle mass vs. fat mass you have), helping you to sustain healthy bone density, and aiding your metabolism. Some studies have even suggested that HGH may be beneficial in maintaining your cognitive abilities, too.

HGH, then, is a good thing and it’s clear to see why people have injections on prescription. HGH may be used in adults who have pituitary disease and are deficient in growth hormone, have short bowel syndrome, or people with AIDS who’ve lost a significant amount of muscle mass from the disease. For these people, as well as children whose bodies don’t make enough HGH, the therapy is safe and effective. However, there’s a good reason why synthetic growth hormone is not recommended for anyone who has normal levels of HGH.

There is no scientific evidence that has found taking synthetic growth hormone slows ageing, and you’re only hurting yourself if you do. HGH injections can cause joint and muscle pain in healthy people, as well as contributing to other health problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. HGH has also been suggested to cause tumours to develop or grow. Therefore, the best way to reduce the signs of ageing is with a healthy diet, exercise plan and lifestyle.

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