Human Growth Hormone and Aging

Why Do We Age?

What happens to the body physically that causes the effects of aging?

Vladimir Dilman, Ph.D., developed "The Neuroendocrine Theory of Aging". The neuroendocrine system is an extensive network of biochemicals. These biochemicals control the release of the body's hormones and other vital bodily elements.

Hormones are necessary because they regulate and repair the body. When hormone levels drop, it causes a decrease in the body's ability to regulate and heal itself. The different hormones are connected to each other, when one is affected the others will probably also be affected.

When we are young, the different hormones are plentiful, they work together to keep the many various bodily functions balanced. Good communication between the endocrine glands keeps the body in homeostasis but with aging our hormones decrease so this communication slows down and the endocrine system does not respond as well to the body's needs.

Human growth hormone (HGH) is one of the most important hormones. Its production is highest during childhood. If children have a deficiency their development will be delayed and if they have too much they will grow more than normal. Once adulthood is reached the decline of HGH begins, and as age progresses the growing lack of human growth hormone plays an important role in bringing on the effects of aging.

The Usual Decline of HGH in the Body as We Age

A group of researchers headed by Jens Sandahl Christiansen of Aarhus Kommunehospital in Denmark sums up just how ubiquitous the effects of low human growth hormone in the body are:

"Untreated human growth hormone deficient adults have been shown to have increased cardiovascular mortality, reduced exercise capacity, reduced muscle strength, subnormal glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow, defective sweat secretion and defective thermoregulation, reduced energy expenditure and basal metabolic rate, abnormal thyroid hormone metabolism, reduced myocardial function and clinical signs of premature arthersclerosis".

The researchers found that in untreated HGH deficient adults body composition was abnormal with increased fat mass, decreased lean body mass, decreased muscle fat ratio, visceral obesity, reduced extracellular fluid volume and reduced bone mineral content. Furthermore, two independent groups reported impaired psychological well being as compared to treated subjects with normal human growth hormone levels.

The effects of decreased human growth hormone are not as dramatic as some hormones. For instance, a sudden drop in insulin is an acute condition that can be life threatening. The slow decline of human growth hormone over the years causes the body to wear out and break down.

Plasma IGF-1 levels are used to measure the amount of human growth hormone in the body. It is a simple blood test that your doctor can order for you.

Most of the benefits associated with HGH are actually brought about as a result of IGF-1, which is a major growth factor that comes from growth hormone.

Click below to see the IGF-1 levels that are considered "normal for age". Keep in mind however, we advocates of anti-aging medicine believe that for those of us 40 years old and older it is better to have the IGF-1 level that we had back when we were younger than to have an IGF-1 level that is considered normal for our age.

IGF-1: The Growth Factor of Youth! >>

Lisa Wells, RN

Article: How HGH Affects the Aging Process

Article: Human Growth Hormone Deficiency