How Human Growth Hormone Affects Aging

The Effects of HGH on the Body are Far and Wide.

Improving human growth hormone in the body has been found to:

increase lean muscle
improve metabolism
decrease fat
increase energy and stamina
increase libido and sexual function
improve bone density
strengthen the immune system
strengthen the heart, liver, lungs and kidneys
decrease and balance blood pressure and cholesterol
improve skin texture, elasticity, thickness, and moisture
decrease wrinkles
improve hair condition, increase its rate of growth
decrease the amount of gray hair, change hair color to its youthful color

As we age the pituitary gland continues to produce HGH however the amount released into the bloodstream diminishes and so the body has less and less to use to maintain good health.

Human growth hormone is one of the body's major hormones like DHEA, melatonin, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone that decrease with age. Supplementation of these other hormones has been available for years but it was believed that adults did not need HGH.

Improving the levels of these other hormones help with the symptoms of aging and we now know that growth hormone should also be improved in order to receive optimum anti-aging benefits. Studies have shown that improving HGH to a more youthful level cannot only slow down and delay the aging process it can even reverse many of the symptoms of aging that have already occurred.

As age progresses modern medicine has considered the increasing deficiency of HGH in the body as "normal". Low levels are still considered normal and a normal part of the aging process by some in the medical profession.

Inadequate human growth hormone in the body is referred to as "SDS", or Somatotropin Deficiency Syndrome. Through research we have learned that we can decrease the effects of aging by supplementing or taking nonprescription products to help improve our own endogenous HGH release.

Measuring the Amount of HGH in the Body

Once the pituitary gland releases its "squirts" of human growth hormone into the bloodstream it is only there for a couple of minutes. It is swiftly taken in by the liver and converted into growth factors, particularly the growth factor called IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1).

Since it is in the bloodstream for only a few minutes measuring HGH is a long and involved process. IGF-1 is more stable and so can be measured more easily. Because of this fact the IGF-1 level is usually measured instead.

If one does not have enough growth hormone being released into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland the IGF-1 level will most likely be low. Increasing the amount of growth hormone in the body to more youthful levels is a major component of anti-aging therapy.

Lisa Wells, RN

Article: HGH Deficiency >>

Normal IGF-1 Levels >>

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