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What is Recombinant Human Growth Hormone?

Brandon May
Brandon May

Recombinant human growth hormone is an artificial form of human growth hormone cultivated in a lab and used for HGH replacement therapy and by body builders to improve muscle tone and size. Some medical researchers disapprove of supplementing with recombinant human growth hormone, yet research on its safety is mixed. To recover lost growth in adolescents, some doctors will prescribe recombinant human growth hormone to boost the level of hormones in the body associated with increasing height. It is claimed that supplementing with recombinant human growth hormone can increase height, decrease aging and burn fat, and some research exists to support these claims.

Natural human growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland, a part of the brain shaped like a pea that controls secretions of this potent hormone. Growth hormone is naturally secreted in times of adolescence and during physical activity and deep sleep, and failure of the pituitary gland to secrete this hormone usually stunts growth in children. This hormone decreases with age, and there is evidence that decreasing levels of this hormone correlates with wrinkles and body fat accumulation. Supplementing with recombinant human growth hormone is recommended for those suffering from lack of growth hormone secretion, yet some medical professionals disagree with its use.

The pituitary gland at the base of the brain secretes HGH.
The pituitary gland at the base of the brain secretes HGH.

Some studies have shown that human growth hormone can be used efficiently for decreasing adipose tissue and for building muscle and decreasing the signs of aging on the skin. Many body builders use recombinant growth hormone to help grow larger muscles when training for an event, yet there is some controversy to the safety of this practice. Supplementing with a synthetic growth hormone has been shown to make subjects become glucose intolerant and insensitive to insulin by increasing blood sugar levels. This can lead to the trouble of developing diabetes later in life, providing many doctors and medical researchers with reason to wonder about the effects recombinant human growth hormone has on children.

Human growth hormone supplementation is usually seen as a last resort for those suffering from a deficiency in this hormone, yet many people decide to take it, as it is believed to help fight the aging process. Although human growth hormone therapy has been shown to help reduce wrinkles and weight gain in a small number of people, it is usually deemed by medical doctors as an unnatural way to increase this natural hormone. Most recommend that people concerned with aging safely increase their level of physical activity, which will help secrete this hormone naturally. Exercise will also aid in a better quality of sleep, when this hormone is produced as well, and will provide a myriad of other benefits for the body.

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    • The pituitary gland at the base of the brain secretes HGH.
      By: Balint Radu
      The pituitary gland at the base of the brain secretes HGH.