19 years
Can any doctor help me take humam growth hormone injections or i inject them by my coach?
Nov 24, 2014
I understand that the use of growth hormone (GH) for muscle bulking is a widespread and common practice, but it is harmful, not to mention costly.
First you need to better understand growth hormone (GH): it is a small protein that is made by the pituitary gland ( a pine-sized gland underneath the brain) and secreted into the bloodstream.
The pituitary puts out GH in bursts; levels rise following exercise, trauma, and sleep. Under normal conditions, more GH is produced at night than during the day. Overall, GH production rises during childhood, peaks during puberty, and declines from middle age onward.
GH acts on many tissues throughout the body. In children and adolescents, it stimulates the growth of bone and cartilage. In people of all ages, GH boosts protein production, promotes the utilization of fat, interferes with the action of insulin, and raises blood sugar levels.
Adults with bona fide GH deficiencies benefit from GH injections. They enjoy protection from fractures, increased muscle mass, improved exercise capacity and energy, and a reduced risk of future heart disease. But there is a price to pay. Up to 30% of patients experience side effects that include fluid retention, joint and muscle pain, carpal tunnel syndrome (pressure on the nerve in the wrist causing hand pain and numbness), and high blood sugar levels.
Athletes work hard to build their muscles and enhance performance. Some also turn to GH. Despite being banned by the International Olympic Committee, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and the World Anti-Doping Agency, GH abuse has tainted many sports, including baseball, cycling, and track and field. What is the gain? And health risks?
Randomized clinical trials conducted during which scientists administered GH or a placebo to healthy young athletes and then measured body composition, strength, and exercise capacity in the lab have shown that, after receiving daily injections for an average of 20 days, the subjects who received GH increased their lean body mass (which reflects muscle mass but can also include fluid mass) by an average of 2 Kg. This significant gain, however, did not translate into improved performance. In fact, GH did not produce measurable increases in either strength or exercise capacity. And the subjects who got GH were more likely to retain fluid and experience fatigue than were the volunteers who got the placebo.
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