Can Human Growth Hormones Slow The Aging Process?
Most of us feel much younger than our birth year declares, and our bodies function. Unfortunately, having a young spirit doesn’t mean we can work and play with the same vigor we did in our twenties and thirties. But we can help our weary old bones along a bit…
Human Growth Hormones (HGH) such as somatotropin and somatropin may slow down the aging process by restoring natural hormone levels. In fact, athletes abusing somatropin have a competitive edge as it increases metabolism (the ability to burn stored fat into energy), raising energy levels. Heck, I can always use increased energy. Getting out of bed some days, I could easily circle back and climb in on the other side!
So other than providing energy, how can Hormone Growth Factor help us, the young and the wrinkled?
Increased Muscle Mass
As we age, Myosteatosis occurs, which is a complicated name for the penetration of fat into the muscles. This weakens our muscles, decreases our muscle mass, and sets us up for increased risk of harm or accident (when you try to stand up after sitting for a while, and it’s like raising the Titanic.) The introduction of HGH into patients with Myosteastosis found a significant rise in thigh muscle mass, and enhanced protein turnover and synthesis, overall improving the patient’s body composition. (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2008 study.) I really don’t know if I want bigger thighs per say, but I don’t care for the thought of fat leaking into my muscles and rendering me a weakling either…
Intelligence
Do you feel less intelligent as you age, and unable to follow more complex instructions that the younger ‘you’ would have managed easily? I blame the birth of my children for compromised brain function. But we can’t all use that excuse, can we? Well, more than likely it’s the effects of aging. A 2006 report in ‘Neurobiology of Aging’ studied intake of HGH on several cognitive performance tasks. It was found that the subjects had increased ability to sort and identify pictures. Good to know, because sometimes I can’t even sort through my bills and put them in chronological order of when they need to be paid! HGH also enhanced overall intelligence regardless of demographic variables (how smart or stupid subjects were naturally inclined to be.)
Blood Flow
They found in rat’s brains that arterial density and productivity declined with age, and HGH reversed the problem. Apparently being dense, at least in your brain arteries is a good thing; enhanced density allows more blood flow.  The ‘Journal of Gerontology’  outlined a 2001 experiment where HGH was used on older rats, and found that the use of Human Growth Hormones prevented decreased capillary density in the heart.  So apparently HGH could be beneficial for heart health also.
Stronger Immune Function
Ah yes, we seem become ill more frequently as we age, don’t we? The common cold can keep us in bed and miserable twice as long as it used to (of course some of us don’t mind the excuse to lie in bed…)
Let’s talk‘t’ activity. That’s not when you get up and put the kettle on. Your thymus gland plays an important role in keeping your immune system strong and healthy. It produces a special type of white blood cell or‘t’ cell. Unfortunately‘t’ cells decrease with age, and in studies conducted on animals, a decrease in‘t’ cells negatively affected the animal’s immune systems (I’m imagining a monkey with a cold.) But it’s not just animals that have been tested with HGH in regards to immune health. In the magazine ‘PloS One’ a 2010 study looked at HGH intake and withdrawal in older adults, and it was found that adding hormone supplementation increased‘t’ cell activity, while removing it decreased immunity. I sure would have loved to be on that panel of test subjects-not.
The Verdict…
Well, it looks like this old bird may have to go out and purchase her some HGH. Aging is a disease, and one I’d rather not catch.  At least until I’m the other side of eighty anyhow. But, I’d best write a reminder note to hit a health store, or I might just forget…