HGH OVERVIEW

How does Human Growth Hormone Work?

Human Growth Hormone is one of the most important metabolic hormones secreted by the human body. The hormone itself goes by a few different names. Somatotropin refers to naturally occurring Growth Hormone that is present in all animal species. Somatotropin also refers to medically derived HGH that has been gathered from the pituitary gland of cadavers. At first, this was the only way to utilize HGH for medical use.

Today, however, almost all medical Human Growth Hormone is synthetically derived via a process known as Recombinant DNA Technology. Although the process is synthetic, the Human Growth Hormone created from the process is functionally and biologically identical to the Growth Hormone that your own Pituitary secretes.

HGH derived from Recombinant DNA Technology is also referred to as Somatropin. Another, more commonly used term used to describe Recombinant HGH is Bio-Identical HGH. This term both signifies the different origin of this form of HGH while also recognizing that the hormone created in the laboratory is completely identical to that which is naturally created by the body.

Why do they have different names if they are the same thing?

There are a couple of important reasons. First, there are risks involved with Human Growth Hormone derived from cadavers that are not at play when utilizing Bio-Identical Human Growth Hormone, the most significant of which is Krutzfield-Jacobs Disease. Krutzfield-Jacobs Disease is prion disorder that shares some similarity with Alzheimer's disease. In rare cases, HGH that was harvested from cadavers was tainted with traces of this debilitating disease.

Given the severity of the disease, the use of Harvested HGH for Medical Usage completely ground to a halt, and new techniques to safely create Bio-Identical Human Growth Hormone were invented in order to fill the void. Today, all Hormone Replacement Therapy is conducted using Bio-Identical HGH, so most people do not differentiate between the two forms in everyday speech.

The second reason that the two forms of hormone are named differently is because source also matters for legal reasons. Different companies have legal rights to particular forms of Human Growth Hormone. No company has a legal right to natural Human Growth Hormone, but companies have patents which protect the specific medical techniques that they use in order to synthesize HGH for medical use.

A few of the most common forms of HGH Hormone Replacement Therapy are Nutopin, Humatrope, Saizen, and Norditropin. Today, Human Growth Hormone is incredibly safe, and none of the pitfalls of early forms of HGH are at play any longer, allowing you to experience the pure effects of the treatment.

How is Human Growth Hormone Composed?

Human Growth Hormone is known as a Peptide Hormone. Peptide hormones are made up amino acids chained together by peptide bonds. There are over forty hormones secreted by the human body, and they all have unique and vital purposes in regard to the proper and optimal function of the body. The primary function of Human Growth Hormone is to encourage optimal cellular metabolism throughout the body.

HGH is also known as a mitogen for this reason. Mitogens are chemicals which encourage the the cells of the body to reproduce and divide at an increased rate. Although this sounds like something simple, it is actually incredibly complex. HGH affects every system in the body in a unique way. It makes the muscles grow larger, it strengthens and hardens the bones, and it keeps the immune system running at peak capacity.

Specifically, HGH is a poly-peptide hormone which is comprised of 191 amino acids linked in a specific configuration. Human Growth Hormone weighs 22,124 daltons. A dalton is a unit of molecular weight which is identical to the atomic mass of the molecule. This entire collection of amino acids is linked into one long chain. This chain forms four helix structures which are responsible for the proper function of the cell.

All animal species on the planet have Growth Hormone. Although all species need Growth Hormone to function, every animal has its own unique formulation. Because of these unique differences in structure, the only forms of Growth Hormone which stimulate the human brain are those of human beings themselves, and certain Old World Monkeys. No other form of Growth Hormone produces any affect on the human brain.

Endogenous Human Growth Hormone is produced only in the pituitary gland by tiny organs known as somatotrophs. The somatotrophs are responsible for the manufacture, storage, and release of these hormones. The somatotrophs are located on the outside wings of the pituitary.

There are two genes responsible for the secretion of HGH. These two genes are known as GH-1 and GH-2. The specific location of the Human Growth Hormone genes is on chromosome 17 in region q22-24. Although we have described the primary form of Human Growth Hormone above, the pituitary gland produces smaller amounts of slightly different formulations of HGH which seem to be correlated with specific outside stimuli. Researchers are just beginning to more fully understand the full function of these alternate versions of the HGH Molecule.

How is Human Growth Hormone Regulated?

HGH is primarily controlled by hormones delivered from the Hypothalamus. The region of the hypothalamus responsible for Human Growth Hormone Regulation is known as the Neurosecretory Nuclei. This structure produces a hormone known as Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone, abbreviated GH-RH. GH-RH is also referred to in some scientific circles as Somatocrinin.

The Neurosecretory Nuclei also releases a hormone which inhibits the production of Human Growth Hormone known as Somatostatin. Somatostatin is also sometimes referred to as Growth Hormone-Inhibiting Hormone, abbreviated GH-IH. These hormones make their way from the Hypothalamus to the Pituitary Gland via a pathway known as the Hypophyseal Portal System. This structure is a series of small blood vessels which directly link the Hypothalamus to the Pituitary Gland.

A second hormone which has been shown to increase the production of Human Growth Hormone is Ghrelin, which is a hunger stimulator.

Although the release of Human Growth Hormone by the pituitary is mainly the result of the interplay of GH-RH and Somatostatin, the release of these hormones are influenced by a number of different outside circumstances.

Human Growth Hormone Stimulators

The following factors are HGH Stimulators:

Healthy Sleep Human Growth Hormone is primarily secreted during the deepest hours of sleep.

Proper Nutrition Healthy nutrition provides the body with all of the equipment that it needs to properly produce HGH. Improper nutrition forces the body to pick and choose which systems receive the limited nutrients available.

Physical Activity The human body secretes significant levels of Human Growth Hormone during vigorous physical activity.

Human Growth Hormone Inhibitors

The following factors are HGH Inhibitors:

• Poor Sleep This prevents the body from receiving its largest full dosage of Human Growth Hormone each day.

• Sedentary Lifestyle Without healthy exercise, the body does not produce as much Human Growth Hormone as it should.

• Excess Fatty Acids High levels of Triglycerides and LDL cholesterol have been shown to decrease the body's ability to properly synthesize HGH.

• Excess Insulin Production The more Insulin that you produce, the less HGH that your body will secrete.

• Obesity Excess fat in general limits the body's ability to properly produce Human Growth Hormone.

• Stress Abnormally high stress levels negatively impact HGH Secretion.

There are also some uncontrollable factors which can have an impact on Human Growth Hormone Production, including gender, heredity, and age.

How is Human Growth Hormone Released?

The Somatotrophs release Human Growth Hormone in pulses when stimulated by the Hypothalamus. The largest pulses of Human Growth Hormone Production occur around an hour after falling asleep. During this period, the body releases 13-72 nanograms/milliliter of HGH into the blood plasma. Aside from this large, primary release of Human Growth Hormone, HGH production is largely unique to the individual, and can also change significantly from day to day.

Almost half of Human Growth Hormone Secretion takes places during the 3rd and 4th stages of deep sleep. During waking hours, HGH secretion peaks every three to five hours. When these peaks occur, the window of HGH secretion can be as high as 45 nanograms/milliliter. Between these highs, base Human Growth Hormone remains very low, less than 5 nanograms/milliliter. It should be clear based off this data that poor sleeping habits can wreck a person's HGH Levels, negatively impacting their health in numerous ways.

HGH and Aging

Human Growth Hormone Production is distinctly correlated with the aging process. Human Growth Hormone is produced at its highest rates during the teenage growth spurt, peaking and lowering to a certain plateau at the end of puberty. During puberty, HGH secretion can reach levels as high as 700 micrograms per day. After puberty, adults normally secrete around 400 micrograms per day.

We continue to produce this healthy level of Adult HGH throughout our late teens and twenties. Beginning in the late twenties or early thirties, the pituitary gland starts to produce less and less Human Growth Hormone. The rate at which this decline occurs is generally between one and two percent each year.

List of Biological HGH Stimulators:

• GH-RH Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone binds to GH-RH Receptors in the Pituitary gland.

• Sex Hormones Testosterone, Estrogen, and other Sex Hormones encourage the release of HGH. Testosterone has been shown to increase the amplitude of HGH Spikes.

• Ghrelin Ghrelin molecules attach to locations on the pituitary known as Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptors.

• Healthy Sleep By reaching the deepest phases of sleep, the brain is encouraged to release increased levels of HGH.

• Peptide Hormones Certain Peptide Hormones have been shown to increase Human Growth Hormone Production, although these hormones can also affect other systems as well.

• Dopamine and Clonadine These hormones encourage the Hypothalamus to release GH-RH

• Propranolol and Arginine These two compounds inhibit the secretion of Somatostatins by the Hypothalamus.

• Hypoglycemia Low Blood Sugar Inhibits Somatostatin Secretion.

• Vitamin B3 This vital nutrient is one of the key ingredients which stimulate Natural Growth Hormone Release.

• Fasting Because the body increases HGH production as a result of lower blood sugar and increased hunger, fasting encourages the body to release enhanced Levels of Growth hormone.

• Vigorous Physical Activity The body releases spikes of HGH to feed the muscles and cardiovascular system in order to encourage the body to function at a higher level.

List of Biological HGH Inhibitors:

• Somatostatin Somatostatin is released by the Hypothalamus in order to decrease HGH Production. Some theorize that the Hypothalamus begins to produce too much Somatostatin later in life, contributing to Lower Levels of HGH Production with Age.

• Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 The Hypothalamus increases Somatostatin production when stimulated by HGH and IGF-1 as a form of negative feedback mechanism.

• Dihydrotestosterone Although Testosterone increases HGH production, Dihydrotestosterone inhibits Growth Hormone Secretion.

• Glucocorticoids The conversion of Cortisone to Cortisol inhibits the function of Human Growth Hormone. The reverse is also true.

• Hyperglycemia High levels of Insulin production counteract Human Growth Hormone Function.

• Certain Medications Many non-biological medicines have an inhibitory effect upon HGH Production for various reasons.

Function of Human Growth Hormone

Human Growth Hormone belongs to a large group of hormones known as Anabolic Hormones. Although HGH is not a steroid like Testosterone or Aldosterone, it still produces a stimulative effect upon systems throughout the body.

Like most peptide hormones, Human Growth Hormone flows through the body, stimulating target receptors located on the outer barrier of cell structures. The most widely recognized function of Human Growth Hormone is to stimulate the growth spurt associated with puberty.

HGH and Height

There are two ways in which it seems that HGH affects height:

First, Peptide Hormones are fat-insoluble. This means that these hormones cannot break through cellular membranes. Because of this, Human Growth Hormone must attach to receptor sites on cell walls. HGH attaches to cartilages cells, encouraging the reproduction and division of chondrocyte cells. This causes the bones to grow longer.

The second pathway in which Human Growth Hormone stimulates height is through the creation of IGF-1 via the liver. Most Human Growth Hormone circulates through the body directly to the liver, where it is converted into IGF-1 and other Growth Factors. IGF-1 encourages the growth and enhanced cell-division of tissues throughout the body, also encouraging changes in height as a result of puberty. IGF-1 encourages organs in the bones known as Osteoblasts to manufacture bone tissue, which directly leads to changes in bone structure. IGF-1 also stimulates chondrocyte activity in a manner similar to HGH.

Why does Human Growth Hormone Increase Height?

HGH is able to cause an adolescent to grow in height because the ends of the bones are still largely made of cartilage. At the end of puberty, growth plates close, preventing the bones from increasing in length. When these plates, also known as Epiphyseal Plates, close, it signals the brain to produce less Human Growth Hormone, leading to the levels that we experience during our late teens and early twenties.

Importance of HGH After Puberty

After puberty, IGF-1 and HGH are responsible for a number of different health functions, including:

• Increasing Body Fat Metabolism Human Growth Hormone speeds up the rate at which the body burns fat.

• Optimizing Bone Mineral Density HGH encourages the healthy maintenance of the bones.

• Stimulating Increased Muscle Mass - Human Growth Hormone encourages the muscles to remain stronger and prevent muscle atrophy.

• Slowing Down the Rate at which the Body Absorbs Sugar Human Growth Hormone and Insulin work together to regulate blood sugar.

• Encouraging the Healthy Function of the Pancreas

• Contributing to Hormone Homeostasis Human Growth Hormone belongs to the Hyothalmic-Pituitary Axis. All of these hormones are intricately connected with one another, and optimal Human Growth Hormone function encourages the body to produce normalized levels of other hormones as well.

• Strengthening the Immune System Human Growth Hormone encourages white blood cells and other tools of the immune system to replicate more effectively, encouraging fortified immune health.

Human Growth Hormone for HGH Deficiency

It should be clear at this point that Human Growth Hormone Production is vital to optimal health throughout the lifespan. Although the body normally becomes more sensitive to Human Growth Hormone Production with age, the body still inevitably reaches a point at which it does not produce enough HGH to support the healthy function of the body.

For many individuals, Human Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy is a viable option to encourage optimal function deeper into the lifespan. If you feel that you may be a candidate for Human Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy, talk to your doctor.

Human Growth Hormone Deficiency Testing: How Diagnosis Works

HGH Deficiency is a major issue which can have a significant impact on your health and well-being. Most people don't even realize that they are suffering from Human Growth Hormone Deficiency, because many of the symptoms are simply mistaken for the aging process.

Every person has their own unique need for Human Growth Hormone, and some people are more sensitive to its deficiency than others. There are two requirements that need to be met in order to qualify for Bio-Identical HGH Hormone Replacement Therapy:

What to Expect in the First Six Months of Bio-Identical HGH Hormone Replacement Therapy

One important thing to know about Human Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy is that it doesn't work overnight. Many benefits will take months to manifest, but others will start to appear after only a few injections. The following is a loose guideline regarding when you should actually start feeling the benefits of certain aspects of HGH Injection therapy.

Benefits of HGH Hormone Replacement Therapy in the First Month of Treatment

During the first month, most of the benefits that you will likely experience are related to your psychology and your energy level. Even though you won't be any stronger, you will start to notice that you can work out longer and walk farther when you exercise, and you will be able to make it through the average day with more energy than you had before.

HGH Injections will also have a positive impact upon your sleeping pattern, and it will be easier to rest more soundly. Healthy Human Growth Hormone Levels and sleep are tightly interwoven. Likely, your fading HGH Production is making it harder to sleep, and your poor sleep is further impacting your production of the vital HGH Hormone.

In this initial month, Human Growth Hormone will also help you perceive the world in a more positive light. Human Growth Hormone helps your brain operate more efficiently, encouraging the brain to produce signals for happiness more easily and softening the affects of negative experiences on your mind.

Benefits of Human Growth Hormone Injections in the Second Month of Treatment

In the second month of Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, you will continue to experience more positive physiological effects, and you will also start to see some minor changes in the physical appearance of your body. It takes two months of HGH Injections for the muscles of the body to visibly change as a result of treatment. During this second month, your muscles will begin to noticeably be more toned.

You will also start to see the benefits of HGH upon body fat as you step on the scale, because the changes in metabolism will start to actively burn fat, causing you to lose weight. If you combine Human Growth Hormone with a healthy diet and exercise, your actual weight loss may be minor, but changes in your body-fat ratio will have a noticeable impact on your aesthetic shape.

Other aesthetic changes can take place during this second month of treatment as well. Many patients will experience changes in skin tone during the second month. This is for three primary reasons. First, the increase in muscle tone will smooth out wrinkles and lines. Second, HGH has the capacity to strengthen collagen underneath the skin, keeping the outer layers of the skin drawn more closely to the underlying tissue. Third, healthy Human Growth Hormone Balance improves water balance, causing the skin cells to grow more full and robust, reducing the space between cells and producing a smoother look and feel. The benefits to the skin also extend to the hair and nails during this period, and your nails may become firmer and your hair may start to become both smoother and fuller.

During this period, you will likely experience changes in your sexual interest and ability. Because the body is able to more efficiently distribute hormones and nutrients, it will have more resources left over to improve your sexual vitality. Your improved energy level and attitude will also help you become more predisposed to sexual activity simply because you will have significantly improved energy levels and attitude.

For men and women with sensitive digestive systems, digestive function often becomes more efficient during this second month of HGH Hormone Treatment. You will also likely experience a noticeable increase in strength associated with your change in muscle tone, and your body-fat ratio will continue to improve.

HGH Benefits in the Third Month of Treatment

Some of the biggest changes that take place during the third month of HGH Shots are cognitive in nature. During this stage of treatment, you will start to notice changes in your ability to process information and store memories. Human Growth Hormone has a highly protective effect upon cognitive function, and as your Hormone Balance sustains itself, your brain will start to keep track of things more efficiently. Many patients that complained of foggy memory before treatment will claim that it has become easier to store and keep their memories, and their treatment has made it easier to keep up with the fast-paced world around them.

During month three, the patient will continue to experience improved strength and body mass distribution, but he or she will also start to experience improved flexibility, because Human Growth Hormone both has a direct impact upon joint health, and the increase in muscle strength and tone will help the body improve structural integrity, reducing stress upon the joints and bones.

Sexual changes will continue to take place during this period. During the second month, the physical ability to engage in fulfilling sexual activity improves, but in the third month, libido and sexual desire skyrocket as a direct result of treatment.

What to Expect During Month Four of HGH Treatment

During the fourth month of Physician-Monitored Bio-Identical Human Growth Hormone HRT, you likely won't experience any significant new changes in your health and wellness, but the changes that have taken place during the previous three months will continue to take place, improving your overall health and outlook.

Expectations for the Fifth Month of Human Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy

The fifth month of treatment is when you will start to experience the fruits of the physiological changes in your health. By this point, the level of body-fat that you have burned off will have a powerful impact upon your muscle-to-fat ratio, and this will correlate directly with significantly reduced measurements. By this point, be prepared to go shopping, because a lot of your old clothes will simply no longer fit.

Skin health also continues to improve significantly, and the underlying health of your skin will be vastly improved as compared to when you began treatment. As the collagen underneath your skin continues to heal and reinforce itself, the structure of your skin will become much stronger, improving both the tone of your skin as well as its feel. Skin elasticity increases greatly as a result of treatment, meaning that when you pinch your skin, it returns to its former position faster and more accurately. Loss of elasticity is one of the biggest reasons why wrinkles form and persist.

After five months, the changes in your hair that you started to notice earlier in treatment will spread throughout the entire length of your hair. Your hair will generally be brighter, fuller, and softer than it was before treatment began.

HGH Treatment Benefits after Six Months

As you go through your sixth month of medical treatment, you will be preparing to visit your physician for your bi-annual checkup. During this sixth month of treatment, many of the powerful physiological benefits of HGH Injections will start to impact your overall health and wellness. Your enhanced hormone balance will positively influence your psychological health, meaning that you will experience a greater level of emotional balance. The incidence of mood swings as a result of hormone imbalance will drop precipitously.

After six months, your immune system will be much stronger than it was before, meaning that your body will be more resistant to infection and you will be able to ward off disease more efficiently than before. Healthy HGH Levels are central to a strong immune system, and your body will be much more resilient directly as a result of treatment.

Many men and women start to experience improved vision during this phase of therapy, or at least vision stabilization. The visual system is a complex neurological extension of the brain, and your improved neurological health will impact the system in a beneficial way.

Human Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy produces significant benefits in cardiovascular health during the sixth month of treatment. Your improved Muscle-to-Fat percentage will improve your cholesterol balance, increasing good HDL cholesterol and decreasing bad LDL cholesterol. HGH Treatment also reduces triglyceride levels in the blood stream, which are associated with numerous cardiovascular conditions. A cleaner cardiovascular system with healthier cholesterol balance will directly increase the strength and output of each individual heartbeat.

The structural benefits of Human Growth Hormone experienced in the fifth month of treatment will have continuing benefits upon the health of the joints, relieving pressure and alleviating both soreness and pain. Human Growth Hormone will also start having a powerful impact upon cellulite after six months.

Cellulite is the direct result of adipose fat cells which are overfilled, creating the dimpling effect associated with cellulite. Before you visit your physician a second time, you should also notice that your capacity for exercise and physical activity has increased tremendously from the plethora of physiological changes that you have experienced over the course of treatment.

The Key to HGH Hormone Replacement Therapy is Patience

Remember, you won't experience all of the benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy overnight. It takes time for your body to recalibrate and enhance the level of Hormone Balance within your body. HGH is simply one important factor that we can change that can eventually re-tune your entire body.

HGH is a vital aspect of the hormone cascade which contributes to a healthy male or female. As the body notices that the level of Human Growth Hormone has been restored, it will slowly adapt to that change, producing other hormones in more beneficial amounts.

When you are experiencing symptoms of HGH Deficiency, its like your body is in a long, chronic hangover which hurts your health in countless ways. By restoring normal HGH Levels, your body will begin the process of self-healing, and it will become more reactive to your own efforts to improve your health, which is why we recommend combining HGH Injections with the adoption of a conscientious lifestyle in order to amplify the effects of treatment and help you contribute to a happier and healthier you!