Human growth hormone is a hormone generated by the pituitary gland that regulates growth and maintain the body’s organs and tissues. Some believe that supplementing the body’s levels of human growth hormone can generate beneficial side effects, such as a leaner, more toned body, as well as anti-aging effects, such as increased energy and improved memory. Yet human growth hormone can have negative side effects as well, including muscle pain and swelling.
Produced by the pituitary gland, human growth hormone is used by the body in childhood and adolescence to direct growth and later in life to maintain internal organs and tissues. Human growth hormone supplementation is typically prescribed to adults who have an abnormally low level of the hormone in their body. Considered a performance-enhancing drug, using human growth hormone without a prescription from a doctor or without a medical reason is illegal.
Proven human growth hormone benefits include increased muscle mass and bone density, as well as decreased body fat, which results in a more toned, leaner looking body. Studies seem to indicate, however, that it does not improve overall athletic performance, for example it does not make the user stronger or faster.
Otherwise, the benefits of human growth hormone use are uncertain. Many claim that it has strong anti-aging properties such as improved eyesight, more energy and better memory. Others say that human growth hormone benefits mood and even regulates sleep patterns. Sometimes the hormone is recommended for individuals suffering from physical injury, especially athletes, as it is believed that it may aid in tissue repair. Evidence for these effects, however, is purely anecdotal, and there is no clinical proof of these human growth hormone benefits.
Although there are many human growth hormone benefits, it is also associated with some negative side effects. Examples of this are joint and muscle pain as well as swelling of the extremities. Studies show that human growth hormone can cause cancer in rats. These studies have caused some concern about the potential for the hormone injections to be carcinogenic, but there is not yet any evidence that they have this effect on humans.
It should be noted that human growth hormone is only available through a doctor’s prescription and is only administered through an injection. There are some over the counter products that claim to be human growth hormone or to have the same effect. These are sometimes called human growth hormone releasers, but that are not the same as human growth hormone injections, and their effectiveness and safety are uncertain.