Human Growth Hormone Danger

Medical specialists are worried about human growth hormone danger in patients who use the hormone for bodybuilding or anti-aging purposes - two applications that are neither approved nor recommended by the medical establishment. The problem is more relevant for these groups because, where there is no deficiency, human growth hormone (HGH) therapy will artificially raise blood levels of the hormone above normal levels. Although HGH levels drop off as we age, there is some evidence that bumping the level back up again can cause health problems.

Some human growth hormone risks, then, are worth considering if you are contemplating using the hormone for anything other than correcting a deficiency. A few adverse effects of having too much HGH in the circulation are cosmetic, while others can affect general health. Before getting into the human growth hormone danger, however, we'll consider what normal levels of HGH do for the human body: in children and young adults, HGH is responsible for supporting normal growth patterns - the amount of HGH produced by the human pituitary gland naturally falls after we are fully grown. Some HGH is still produced throughout life, however, and in adults it regulates certain metabolic processes important to good health.

One rather predictable human growth hormone danger is overgrowth of certain bones (when normal growth is finished and HGH levels are still high, abnormal growth in these bones can continue), particularly in the face, causing coarse prominent features. Over time, muscle weakness may set in and there can be metabolic problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Heart problems associated with high HGH levels are well documented, and nerve damage is also one of the commonly seen human growth hormone risks. The relative risk of these and other side effects increases with the size of the dose given.

Subtle but common human growth hormone risks also include fluid retention causing puffiness, and muscle and joint aches. In controlled studies of elderly people being given HGH injections, these side effects were common and bothersome enough to necessitate discontinuing the treatment in a significant number of cases. In other cases, reducing the dose also alleviated the symptoms, but an important human growth hormone danger is that side effects can entail permanent damage.

It's wise to avoid human growth hormone risks by seeking the same benefits the hormone offers in alternative treatments. Sleep, exercise, and certain foods or natural supplements bring about an increase in the HGH released by the pituitary gland. Because these increases are natural and regulated by the body, there is little chance that they will be high enough to cause any side effects. Adding these things to your lifestyle will also improve your health and well being on other ways with none of the human growth hormone danger.