Why is HGH called anti-aging product?
In the last hundred-year average age of humans has almost doubled. Although achieving prolonged youth, aging gracefully remains somewhat elusive. We know that genes control growth and aging, and hormones serve as the primary messengers in our body. Thus unlocking immortality and infinite youth would need decoding the genes that cause aging or somehow learning more about hormones that fall in levels with aging.
From the study of dwarf people, researchers learned about the hormone that is responsible for our growth (in height) during puberty. It is called human growth hormone (HGH). Researchers have isolated this hormone, and are now even able to mass produce it with the help of biotechnology.
Theoretically, injecting this hormone would have produced much taller people, maybe 2-3 meters or taller. It would have helped people stay young for centuries, as it’s decline is primarily responsible for aging. In reality, this hormone can do all that, but only to an extent.
In those young children who fail to gain adequate height, HGH is the treatment of choice. Similarly, adults who start getting wrinkles early, start aging fast due to the sharp decline of HGH, therapy with the hormone can delay aging. In young adults, even with normal levels it helps to gain muscles, and strengthen bones.
However, HGH did fail to fulfill its promise. It only helps those with extreme deficiency of growth hormone. In others, benefits are there, but limited. In those with normal hormonal levels or normal decline related to age, benefits are few.
It does not mean that HGH cannot stop aging in humans aged above 50 or more. It would inevitably slow down the age-related degradation of the body. It is especially useful for skin, connective tissues, muscles, bones. It may help to prolong life.
But HGH is more like a commander/general of an army. Commander is of little value without well trained and equipped officers and soldiers. Simply said, the decline in HGH is just one of the factors for aging. There are perhaps hundreds or thousands of other factors still waiting to be discovered.
Where is HGH used
In modern science use of HGH in the anti-aging program is not approved, though it is commonly used for the purpose. It does not mean that HGH does not help, but doctors are worried about the side effects of such therapy, especially if done without medical supervision.
HGH is approved for use in certain medical conditions like the treatment of dwarfism, treat HIV related wasting. HGH injection at right dose may increase exercise capacity, bone density, muscle mass, and reduce accumulation of fats – yes it helps to be strong and stay young.
Excess use of HGH may cause damage to health. The reason why too much of HGH is bad is that we do not know other hormones that work together with HGH to keep us young for longer. Thus if you take HGH in high doses, it would increase the workload for organs like the liver. The spurt in growth increases the risk of developing cancer as HGH does not improve immunity much. HGH is also known to cause painful conditions of joints, may cause gynecomastia in men, swelling in arms and legs.
Conclusion
In short, at present HGH can be part of the anti-aging program, especially for those above the age of 50. However, any such effort should be carried out only under the supervision of a specialist. Generally, a specialist would do that after carrying out various lab test to make sure that reason for faster aging is low levels of growth hormone in an individual. Self-medication with HGH may increase the risk for health hazards.