Anti Aging Skin Care Mag

More and more people are trying to reverse the aging process and lose weight by using synthetic human growth hormone. But is it all it’s made out to be? And what are HGH’s side effects? Here’s the lowdown…

This is the age in the quest for eternal youth and immortality. Not only do we want to extend the boundaries of life, but we also want to be healthy and look youthful well into our old age.

The term “old age” itself, in fact, with all its connotations – the inevitable slowing down, the progressive diminishing of bodily functions, the onset of decreasing strength due to loss of muscle, the weight gain, the loss of energy, the increasing susceptibility to disease, the failing mental acuity, and then the final blow, the decay into death – are all anathema to many of us.

If you are a baby boomer (those born in the 1950s), then it is likely that you are experiencing some of the first signs of aging even as you read this. As most middle-aged adults know only too well, one of the inevitable aspects about leaving youth behind and stepping into the age bracket of 45-65, is weight gain.

In fact, according to medical science, each year after you cross forty, one pound of muscle is replaced by one pound of fat. This implies that by the time you turn fifty, ten pounds of fat have replaced ten pounds of muscle. Hence, this is one of the reasons why droves of people in their middle age are turning to anti-aging clinics for that elixir of youth – A shot of synthetic human growth hormone!

It is well known that HGH is one of the key ingredients that keeps us young and in full control of all our physical and mental faculties. HGH occurs naturally in the body, with the pituitary gland producing it throughout our lives. As is implied by its name, HGH promotes growth all through childhood.

Then, on reaching adulthood, after full growth is attained, HGH still plays an important role by keeping the metabolism in peak condition. However, with the onset of aging – some say even as early as in the 30s – the body stops producing adequate amounts of HGH, which results in the decrease of the metabolic rate, leading to most of the signs associated with aging.

Hence, when scientists discovered how to produce HGH synthetically, most people hailed it as a radical breakthrough in the fight against aging. Study after study proved the efficacy of HGH as people experienced an increase in the muscle mass as well as bone density, wrinkles disappearing, and, of course, a loss of weight.

In other words, those who took injections of synthetic HGH demonstrated a remarkable reversal in the process of aging, appearing stronger, sleeker, and younger. In fact, it has been shown that a single year of treatment can turn back the clock by ten years.

Furthermore, as a study done in 1987 revealed, even young adults given synthetic HGH injections experienced gain in lean muscle and loss of body fat. All these studies, along with coverage by the media, have created a great interest about synthetic HGH.

But is this hype really warranted? And what are HGH’s side effects? While synthetic HGH does seem to be the answer to the dream of our modern times – that magical potion which absolves the need of sweating it out to remain youthful – that no-effort miracle cure we all secretly seek in order to look young, stay strong and healthy all our lives – according to recent research, it just may not be safe to use it on a long-term basis.

This is particularly true for those who are not deficient in HGH. For instance, young athletes often take synthetic HGH injections to enhance their performance. As a matter of fact, the Olympic Games held in Atlanta in 1996 was popularly known as the “Growth Hormone Games,” because of the high use of synthetic HGH by the athletes.

According to the medical fraternity, the side effects of HGH range from minor joint pain and fluid retention, to more serious effects like abnormal cartilage and bone growth, known as Acromeglia, and high blood pressure. It can even lead to Hypoglycemia because it increases the level of insulin in the body.

When HGH is used for anti-aging, it can lead to more long-term problems such as more serious high blood pressure, chronic pain in the joints along with swelling, more serious retention of fluid, and abnormal bone growth in the face. If it is taken on a long-term basis, it can sometimes lead to even more serious side-effects, like an increase in the risk of getting diabetes, irregular heart rhythms, facial and joint deformities, and even the pituitary glands shutting down.

Most of the serious side effects that HGH causes are because of the abuse of the hormone, which can be in the form of either taking it for too long or taking too much of it. Milder forms of these side effects usually occur when the supplemental forms of the hormone that are sold over the counter are abused.

The body requires time to get back to a normal state. If a drug like HGH is taken for a longer period of time or more of it is taken than the recommended dosage, this kind of abuse leads to complications because the body has to work harder to get it out of the system.

The liver, for example, is put under a lot of stress to process the HGH that is taken from external sources, which can result in it getting damaged. The body recognizes that there is a higher amount of HGH in the bloodstream and stops making it naturally. If this continues for too long it leads to the shutting down of the pituitary glands.

The side effects of synthetic HGH can usually be reduced by lowering the dosage and limiting the period of time it is taken. Just like any other drug, when HGH is introduced into the body, even though it is produced naturally by the body, it can trigger off the kind of reactions mentioned above.

Hence, anybody contemplating synthetic HGH as an anti-aging therapy should be concerned about the long-term use of the drug. Research is still ongoing on deciding on optimal dosages in order to reduce the adverse effects and increase the beneficial effects. Similar to any other drug, each person must determine for himself/herself whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and whether the quest for youth justifies taking the kind of risks involved.