Aging: Human Growth Hormone (HGH)

From the beginning of civilization, Man has been obsessed with immortality. His quest has led him into pursuits for the Fountain of Youth or mummification in the hope for life after death. While such quests invariably ended into failure, new scientific discoveries have injected new hope in the battle against aging. The Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is one of these discoveries. Produced and secreted by the pituitary gland, HGH plays an active role in children's growth as well in the maintenance of tissues.

The Production of HGH declines with age. At the age of 30, HGH levels are about 20% of what they used to be in childhood. This decline continues by 12-15% per decade. Thus, for most of thus, after the age of 30, there is not sufficient HGH in the blood to repair all the damage that occurs to the body's tissues. The reduced maintenance activity results in a gradual decline known as aging.

The mechanism of release of Human Growth Hormone in the pituitary is controlled by two hormones: Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) and somatostatin. While the former is a precursor to the release of HGH, the latter inhibits it. The prevalent theory is that the concentration of somatostatin increases with age so that the delicate balance between the two hormones tilts towards the non-secretion of Human Growth Hormone(HGH).

It must however be borne in mind that HGH decrease is not the only cause of aging. In fact, maintain HGH levels will probably not increase the lifespan of an individual. However, most of the symptoms of aging can be significantly reduced and delayed until a very advanced age.

Some of the effects of HGH include:

1. Reduction in excess body fat
2. Increase in lean muscle mass
3. Reduce wrinkling of the skin
4. Increase bone density
5. Strengthen the immune system
6. Stimulate growth of bone marrow cells (which produce red and white blood cells)

However, HGH will not eliminate problems such as cardiovascular disease, menopause (which is result of the decline of other hormones), and damage caused by external agents such as sunlight and pollutants.
Ideally, therefore, a Human Growth Hormone replacement therapy should begin in the early thirties in order to prevent the effects of aging.

There are three basic ways to increase HGH in the blood:

• Taking a drug that increases the natural secretion of HGH by the pituitary.
• Using injections of GHRH
• Using injections of HGH directly

Spurring the natural secretion (through the consumption of amino acids such as L-glutamine and L-arginine) of HGH is not very effective in older adults, and younger adults do not really need it. Thus, injections are the most prized options. As regards GHRH, there is no available drug present on the market. Thus, only direct HGH injections remain. Most of these injections are available on prescription only. The doctor will invariably test for the level of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF)-1, which is the marker for HGH before prescribing any dose.

Since the human body must reconize nutrients and other supplementation, it is best for them to be all natural, as well as safe.