You have heard of human growth hormone (hgh) in all the muscle magazines and heard about it in the under ground journals. Why? Because human growth hormone is essential to growth, and bodybuilders want to grow. The good news is that human growth hormone will make you grow and your body DOES produce it naturally. The bad news is that reasearch shows, human growth hormone levels fall steadily in everyone once they reach adulthood and onward. More on how to release the natural human growth hormone later. First, what does the human growth hormone research say it can do for you?
First a bit about HGH terminology. HGH stands for human growth hormone. Nowdays the term HGH can really only be used in association with the natural human growth homone produced in the body. This is because since the mid 1980's "HGH" no longer came from the pituitaries of human beings and started to be produced syntheticly from recombinant DNA technology and called RGH. You will find the terms " Human Growth Hormone" and "HGH" used through this article even though it may not be the modern or proper terminology because I wanted you to find this information and not too many people are searching for "RGH".
Human
Growth hormone binds to cells that have receptors for it. It just so happens
that fat cells have human growth hormone receptors, and growth hormone stimulates
them to break down triglycerides and suppresses their ability to take up and
accumulate circulating lipids. In other words, human growth hormone research
says HGH will help you burn fat and keep it off.
As far as muscle building goes, human growth hormone helps here too. But in
a different and indirect way. The first is through Insulin-like growth factor-1
(IGF-1). This is a hormone that is secreted from the liver and other tissues
in response to growth hormone. IFG-1 is a very powerful anabolic. The more
you have the better your chances of looking like the hulk. So by increasing
your human growth hormone, HGH research says you will also up your IGF-1 and
the muscles start to GROW.
Remember anabolic means grow and catabolic means small, weak, tired and cranky.
Another way that human growth hormone research says HGH works is through protein
metabolism. In general, growth hormone stimulates protein anabolism in many
tissues. Or in layman's terms, it helps you use protein to build muscle. This
effect causes increased amino acid uptake, increased protein synthesis and
decreased oxidation of proteins (read catabolic) leading to an anabolic state
that again causes you to grow.
Where is human growth hormone produced?
Growth hormone is a protein hormone made up of amino acids that are synthesized
and secreted by cells in the anterior pituitary deep in the back of your brain.
It is secreted in short bursts during the first hours of sleep and after exercise
and HGH only remains in the circulation for a few minutes.
If your natural human growth hormone levels have declined because of age
or you just want more HGH to grow on, bed time is the key besides exercise
HGH induced spurts. Studies in young adults show that at least four amino
acids can cause the release of up to 9 times as much HGH over a short period
of time. While it is a fact that the best releaser of growth hormone is strong
exercise and secondly a good night sleep the extra amino's can never hurt.
If it does give you more HGH all the better.
Natural Human Growth Hormone Supplements
There are natural human growth hormone supplements that may
help such as zma.
But here is what you dont hear about most human growth hormone supplements.
First HGH supplements do not raise levels of human growth hormone if you are
deficient. If you have normal levels of HGH already, then the spike will last
about 20 minutes. Some HGH is better than none, but 20 minutes of higher than
normal levels of human growth hormone has not been shown to cause any benefit
by current research. Being a bodybuilder myself, I would still like the extra
kick if I had money to burn.
The amino acids that may support HGH and their quantities are:
1. L-glutamine: 9 grams
2. L-arginine: 4 grams
3. L-ornithine: 4 grams
4. L-lysine: 2 grams
This could get a little expensive to buy seperately, but if you have the
money and the time to mix your supplements, fill your boots!
Synthetic Growth Hormone Therapy
Then there is synthetic growth hormone therapy (remember RGH?), in which case
I would suggest you talk to own doctor and not to go looking around online.
Why do I want to have more natural human growth hormone?
Besides the young and buff who are straining away in the gym, the older stallions
need human growth hormone too. As you age,
and growth hormone levels fall below the adult normal range, your muscle,
bone strength and energy levels will decline. Tissue repair, cell growth,
recovery, regeneration of vital organs, brain and memory function, enzyme
production, and revitalization of hair, nails and skin will also drop. The
bottom line is if your getting older, your natural human growth hormone levels
are falling. This stuff IS going to happen to you.
The signs of age are caused by dropping of natural human growth hormone levels
and growth hormone levels drop because you're aging. Kind of unfair isn't
it? This is why you must exercise intensely, sleep well and use supplements
wisely.
Ever wonder why as you get older it seems that the fat just keeps on gaining
momentum? Well its all related. For example, in those who have no pituitary
function, there is a shift in body composition where body fat increases by
7-25% while lean body mass decreases similarly.
Sounds daunting. Less muscle, more fat, just because you're getting older
and HGH levels are falling. Remember I said older not over the hill and struggling
for life! This all starts in middle age and not just when your 60. Along with
this comes an impaired sense of well-being and symptoms of fatigue, social
isolation, depression and a lack of the ability to concentrate.
So we know we need HGH and we know we want more of it. So how does one go
about getting more natural human growth hormone besides using a time machine?
By attacking HGH three ways. Exercise, sleep and supplements. Lets break it
down.
Exercise To Induce Natural Human Growth Hormone:
Higher rep anaerobic exercise like circuit training or high time under tension
sets involves primarily enzymatic adaptation to lactic acid and ion accumulation
in the muscle. This means that the burn should be your goal. The burning caused
by the lactic acid is your bodies trigger to start the human growth hormone
secretion process. Generally speaking, without busting out the fancy graphs.
Here is a sample high
lactic acid routine.
Another way to reach the same goal is through doing aerobics with intervals.
An example of this would be 100 metre sprints followed with 100 meter jogs.
A goal to shoot for would be 10 sprints. Hills makes the excretion of natural
human growth hormone even larger. Another article on the benefits of interval
training can be found
here on this site.
Sleep and Supplements to Use the Natural Human Growth Hormone
Release
Zinc
Zinc helps to optimize and increase IGF-1 and human growth hormone. Zinc also
has a profound effect on testosterone and healthy immunes system levels.
Magnesium
A deficiency Magnesium will decrease oxygen delivery to your muscle tissue.
Magnesium promotes muscle strength and endurance. What is really great is
that it also is proven to promote relaxation. Magnesium also activates enzymes
necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids.
Magnesium and Zinc for more HGH, slightly..
Since zinc helps optimize natural human growth hormone and
IGF-1 and magnesium helps promote relaxation, a combination of these two minerals
before sleep offers a double benefit. Taken it 30 minutes before bed on an
empty stomach will allow both minerals to be in your system when the natural
release of HGH occurs enhancing the effectiveness of the sleep pattern for
growth and regeneration. The biggest benefit of these supplements in my opinion
is just the quality of sleep and not the small natural growth hormone release.
The dosage should consist of:
Magnesium: 450mg
Zinc: 30mg
Human Growth Hormone Dangers
The dangers of HGH treatment are quite rare when human growth hormone is given in replacement doses to deficient children and adults. Risks are uncommon even when used in higher "pharmacologic doses" for other reasons, but there are unanswered questions about the dangers for other uses such as in healthy bodybuilders with already high levels of HGH. Look at this page for futher information on human growth hormone dangers and side effects.