Functions of HGH: Can It Change Life For the Better?

A sedentary lifestyle and high sugar intake increases the natural slowing of hormone production.

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(SALEM, Ore.) - Human Growth Hormone, or HGH, is produced by your body throughout your lifetime. As we age, factors such as inactivity, obesity and endocrine disorders can reduce the amount of these hormones produced by your body.

As this production lowers, you may have less energy or put on weight more easily, further lowering your energy level. Low levels of such hormones can also lead to depression.

IGF, or insulin-like growth factor, is a specific growth hormone related to overall pituitary function.

What is Growth Hormone and IGF-1 in the Human Body?

To find out if low HGH production, particularly low IGF release, is causing your health challenges, you will need to make an appointment with your physician and schedule a blood test. If your symptoms include:

• low energy levels
• a loss of muscle tone or mass
• increased abdominal fat
• dry or thinning skin
• a lowered mood or feeling of depression

Improve Functions of Growth Hormones and IGF-1 On Your Own

A simple way to increase your hormone production is to reduce the amount you eat right before bed. When you eat, your body produces insulin. This can suppress the amount of HGH your body releases at night.

If you can be done eating 2 or 3 hours before you go to bed, you can at least stop the suppression of hormone production. Lowering your sugar intake can also increase your growth hormone levels, as can limiting your food intake to 8 hours a day and fasting for the other 16.

In addition, there are supplements you can take to boost your hormone production. These supplements include:

• GABA, or gamma aminobutyric acid
• arginine, and
• beta alanine before your workout

If you enjoy a protein shake around the time of your workout and are using whey-based protein for energy and to reduce muscle soreness, make sure to take it after your workout.

Current research indicates that whey or casein-based protein before a workout can actually suppress HGH release.

Exercise, particularly vigorous exercise for at least part of your workout, can boost your growth hormone production. Try not to eat right before you exercise as this will boost your insulin production and suppress HGH release by your endocrine system.

Aging and HGH Levels: What Happens with Hormones When We Age

According to anti-aging reports of HGH Therapy Clinic of hormone specialists’, unless you suffer an illness or injury, there are steps you can take on a daily basis to keep your hormone levels higher.

As we age, our production of these hormones does slow down, but a sedentary lifestyle and high sugar intake will make this slowing worse.

In addition, because a lack of growth hormones isn't obvious in an adult, symptoms that you think are normal aging may actually be a hormone deficiency.

If you find that you can't keep up your normal activities because you just don't have the energy or the interest, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

You need these hormones to maintain strong muscles and a consistent energy level. In addition, these hormones keep your skin in good shape and can help you fight off depression and anxiety.

In particular, if you are diabetic or developing insulin resistance, there are studies underway related to IGF-1 supplementation or replacement.

It's critical that you discuss any supplementation plans with your physician. Products that claim to replace IGF-1 may not be pure, and this hormone, poorly regulated, can cause:

• damage to your optic nerve
• muscle and joint pain
• retinopathy

Injury or Illness

Growth hormone production will slow over time. In other cases, you can suffer a loss of hormone release from a head injury, an infection or treatment for cancer. Anything that impacts your pituitary gland or the hypothalamus area of your brain can limit your growth hormone production.

Depending on the severity of your hormone deficiency and the source of the condition, your doctor may encourage you to bring your levels back up naturally.

A regular exercise program, lowering your sugar intake, and the supplements listed above may be able to stimulate your hormone production back up to levels that can help you feel normal again.

However, if further testing demonstrates that your levels are not improving, synthetic HGH treatments may be called for.

The Treatment

If your hormone level is found to be low, you may be a candidate for HGH replacement therapy. These treatments generally include a daily injection. While undergoing these injections, you will need frequent blood tests to make sure that the treatment is both effective and not causing any damage.

If you notice a consistent change in your energy, mood and physique that doesn't improve, talk to your doctor and get your hormone production levels checked out.

Discuss activity changes, dietary changes and supplementation programs. Especially if you're diabetic, but this goes for every one: take nothing without discussing it with your physician first.

Source: Salem-News.com Special Features Dept.