The Truth about HGH: (human growth hormone):

With all of the (mostly worthless) nutritional supplements out there touted to help with weight loss, burn body fat, and build muscle, hgh may be the only one that has the potential to measure up to its claims. Despite what you may hear in the media though, hgh is not the "fountain of youth" nor is it a miracle solution for weight loss or muscle building. Hgh is known to plummet after the age of 25 and by the time we are 40 levels are relatively low. Hgh works best for people over the age of 30 and does have some pretty significant effects, but it is not the "magic potion" many may think. Countless clinical trials have shown that independent of diet, sedentary people have gained muscle and lost fat from hgh therapy. The key feature of these studies is that most subjects were in relatively poor condition, and by no means were they "in-shape" at the end of the study. For example, if somebody is able to decrease their body composition by 10% and remain close to the same bodyweight, they have essentially shifted what was once fat mass into muscle mass. This is great by any standard, however if the subjects started at 35% bodyfat, they were still at 25% when they finished they are hardly in shape! (note these values are for men- 25% is not quite as bad for women although still not great.) Diet and exercise is still needed to "get in shape"- weight loss and increases in muscle mass will not continue indefinitely with hgh therapy.

What hgh can do (in those old enough to benefit) is to cause an increase in energy and stamina- hgh users report that they "feel 10 years younger" and generally sleep much better at night. Hgh actually acts directly at the fat-cell to encourage lipolysis (i.e. fat burning), while at the same time increasing muscle mass via an increase in IGF-1 production. Hgh can subtly speed up recovery time after a workout and discourages muscle loss caused by intense exercise and dieting- in this way hgh shifts the balance from burning muscle to building muscle (we are constantly tearing down and rebuilding muscle protein-anything that can shift the balance toward building muscle will have a great effect). With all of these almost magic properties it is no wonder why hgh is promoted as the magic pill that it is.

Hgh does have some wonderful properties, but it only complements an otherwise perfect diet and exercise program. Stated differently, HGH DOES NOT REPLACE DIET AND EXERCISE (I know, sucks, doesn't it?). Forget the studies with sedentary people having miraculous weight loss and muscle gain with hgh- these people couldn't be in any worse shape to start with, so their changes are drastic. As most of you have experienced, it is very easy to double your strength, lose lots of fat, and build muscle when you first started weight training- progress is never linear though; after 10 years of weight training we are lucky to get a fraction of the muscle gains we got an in equal time span as a beginner-with or without hgh.

Another little known fact is that hgh is not actually that great of an anabolic (muscle-builder). Hgh definitely supports muscle growth, but is exponentially more potent as an anabolic in the presence of testosterone. (testosterone decreases along with hgh as we age). Many progressive-minded physicians with a decent background in endocrinology are readily prescribing testosterone along with hgh as a "hormone replacement therapy" for men. The combination of hgh with low-dose testosterone in a middle-aged to older male (in the presence of a good diet and exercise program of course) can do almost magical things.

Although many sites on the internet have created a "black market" for hgh and testosterone, hgh is available in the US by prescription-only and testosterone is even more highly regulated, being scheduled along with all of the other steroids by the DEA. Because of this, the supplement industry has cashed in by selling products which are either supposed to contain or stimulate the release of hgh. To put it lightly, all hgh supplements are shit! Even though the companies are citing legitimate hgh studies, these studies use INJECTABLE hgh, not the junk that the supplement company is trying to sell you. (although some supplements with certain amino acids will cause a transient rise in hgh- their value is only for very specific circumstances) The same goes for testosterone- although the supplement tribulus terrestris does cause subtle increases in testosterone, the amount is so little that it does not cause any change in muscle mass or body fat. The pro-hormones worked with some people, but most have been banned, now classified as steroids. (Thanks again to the government for the wonderful "protection" of us from ourselves. As a side note, most of the guys who voted on these laws have never seen the inside of a gym and couldn't tell you a damn-thing about how and why steroids (and hgh) are bad- just that they are.) So hgh works but hgh + testosterone might be the best possible way to keep gaining muscle and losing fat into old age- just find a Dr. who will diagnose you with a deficiency so it will be covered by your insurance. Real hgh and testosterone by prescription is not cheap! Just don't waste your money on anything but the real thing if you are going to try hgh and/or testosterone therapy; the supplement versions really just provide you with overpriced urine*!

*as stated above, some hgh-releasing supplements may have limited potential; consult your personal fitness trainer or physician for recommendations*