The "Mad Cow Disease" Claim

Some claim that you should not take any product that contains human growth hormone, IGF-1, other growth factors, or ingredients such as pituitary or liver extract because it may not be safe and could cause mad cow disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy).

In the past human growth hormone that was derived from the brains of cadavers was found to cause a form of mad cow disease in some children, however, since the 1980's cadaver human growth hormone has not been available in the United States, it was replaced with recombinant (synthetic) HGH.

I don't know where they get the idea that IGF-1 can cause mad cow disease unless they are speaking about the products that contain bovine colostrum as the source of IGF-1. Our source of IGF-1 and other growth factors is velvet deer antler, which is not known to carry BSE.

Of course I cannot vouch for the ingredients in other HGH products because so many products are now either made outside the U.S., or else they contain ingredients from outside the U.S. I certainly would not want to take a product that contains a bovine source from outside the United States due to the risk of mad cow disease.

I can vouch for our U.S. made products, I have been taking them for 8 years and I feel completely safe in taking them.

Our ProBLEN HGH Products Are Safe

The human growth hormone used in our products is synthetic, and we use velvet deer antler as our source for IGF-1 and all other growth factors. These ingredients cannot cause mad cow disease.

We do use organotherapy which includes anterior pituitarum and liver extract of either U.S.D.A. bovine or porcine source. Our products, which are made in a U.S. FDA approved lab and are FDA registered, must adhere to the strict guidelines of the FDA.

When we do use bovine source it is only North American bovine, which is harvested, tested, freeze dried, and quarantined. Once it is in the product, it is re-tested to ensure there are no contaminants.

With reference to concerns about Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), we wish to advise you as follows:

We do not purchase, process, or offer for sale any bovine products originating from any country in which Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) is currently known to exist. These countries are identified and listed as "Restricted" for the importation of ruminants, meat and meat products from ruminants, and certain other ruminant products by the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service as it was published in the Federal Register: January 6, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 3), Rules and Regulations, pages 406-408.

The countries which have been identified as BSE affected are Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, The Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, The Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom (Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the Falkland Islands).

The plant in which we purchase our ingredients is registered with both the USDA (#5805) and the FDA (Establishment #1920841). The plant is inspected by both the FDA and the USDA, and our processing records are reviewed by both agencies.

Lisa Wells, RN

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