Human Growth Hormone (HGH) ： Can it delay aging？
Growth hormone promotes growth in children and helps keep tissues and organs alive. It’s produced by the pituitary gland, which is the size of a pea. Located at the base of the brain. Starting in middle age, however, the brain droop slowly reduces the amount of growth hormone it produces.
This natural slowdown has sparked interest in using synthetic human growth hormone (HGH) to delay some of the changes associated with aging, such as loss of muscle and bone mass.
If you’re skeptical, that’s great. There is little evidence that growth hormone can help otherwise healthy adults regain their youth and vitality. In addition, HGH treatment may increase the risk of other diseases. Experts advise against using HGH to treat aging or age-related diseases.
Growth-hormone-deficient adults; Not the decline in growth hormones due to aging; They may be prescribed synthetic growth hormones.
Growth hormone deficiency is usually caused by a benign tumor of the pituitary gland (pituitary adenoma) or by treating the adenoma with surgery or radiation.
For growth-hormone-deficient adults, growth-hormone injections can:
Increase motor capacity
Increase bone density
Increase muscle mass
Reduce body fat
HGH treatment is also approved to treat HIV or AIDS-related growth hormone deficiency, which causes irregular distribution of body fat.
Studies of healthy adults taking human growth hormone are limited and contradictory. Although human growth hormone appears to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat in healthy older adults, muscle gain does not translate into strength gains. It is not known if human growth hormone has other benefits for healthy adults.
HGH treatment may cause a number of side effects in healthy adults, including:
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Increased insulin resistance
Type 2 diabetes
Swelling of arms and legs (edema)
Joint and muscle pain
Enlargement of male breast tissue (gynecomastia)
Increases the risk of certain cancers
Clinical studies of HGH treatment in healthy older adults have been relatively small and of short duration, so there is little or no information on the long-term effects of HGH treatment.
HGH treatment is only approved in the United States to treat growth hormone deficiency; And problems associated with HIV infection. HGH is only effective when injected.
There is no pill for human growth hormone. Some dietary supplements that claim to increase HGH levels come in pill form, but studies have not shown such a benefit.
HGH is considered a controlled substance by the Food and Drug Administration. It is illegal to use HGH for unapproved purposes, such as muscle building or as an anti-aging treatment for the elderly.