In recent years it seems that the Human Growth Hormone has become of increasing interest to those in the health community and beyond. However, despite its recent notoriety as a fat-burning and anti-aging miracle supplement, most people do not know exactly what it is or what it does. While rumors abound of stars injecting themselves with this hormone therapy in order to bulk up before filming and/or to reduce and retard the natural signs of aging, the actual facts surrounding Human Growth Hormone therapy remain something of a mystery.

Human Growth Hormone is a natural hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is an area in the brain also known as the source of the third eye. The hormone HGH secreted therein is responsible for regulating many of the vital activities of the body. HGH helps to maintain normal bodily functions. However, studies have shown that after adolescence, the levels of the Human Growth Hormone found in the body decrease significantly. After the teenage years, the rates of HGH in the body decline by about fourteen percent per decade.

Human Growth Hormone is thus highest during our adolescent years and this is why this particular hormone received the name it did. HGH is responsible for the growing body, found as it is in the highest concentration during the time of our greatest growth, i.e., during puberty. Because this hormone is fundamentally related to the process of growth, a deficiency of this hormone can result in stunted development. HGH therapy has therefore been successfully utilized to treat young children who do not seem to be growing at a normal rate. Human Growth Hormone has proven beneficial for such children, effectively preventing dwarfism.

HGH is integral to tissue repair, cellular healing and regeneration, organ and bone health, brain function and enzymatic health. Human Growth Hormone helps to keep the hair, nails and skin young and strong. Other studies have also found that increased levels of HGH are responsible for boosting the strength of the immune system. The Human Growth Hormone has thus been found to have many dramatic and beneficial effects beyond merely regulating and promoting physical growth.

As this hormone declines significantly as we age, it has been utilized increasingly to combat many age related disorders. The use of this hormone to combat the regular effects of aging has been widely proclaimed by HGH adherents. According to scientific studies, HGH replacement therapy has been found to decrease fat, increase energy and bone mass, and to repair some kinds of pulmonary damage. Because of its immune boosting properties, Human Growth Hormone has also been found to be of supreme advantage to those people living with HIV/AIDS. The severe loss of muscles and bone strength of those people living with diseases which suppress immune system function as well as certain wasting disorders have likewise been important arenas for testing the success of HGH therapies.

The immune system boosting effects of Human Growth Hormone have certainly made it of special interest to scientists studying our body’s ability to fight off disease. The rather more superficial effects of HGH, including its fat reducing and age retarding properties have however received greater media attention. The cellular regenerating abilities of Human Growth Hormone suggest its possible use in not only reducing the effects of age related diseases, but also in retarding the outwards signs and appearances of premature aging.

Despite all of the positive and amazing benefits so far found to be associated with Human Growth Hormone therapy, at present HGH injections must still be prescribed by a doctor. These injections, although able to be administered by oneself at home, still require a medical professional’s prescription and therapeutic supervision. HGH therapy needs to be monitored by a professional as other nutrients, vitamins and minerals sometimes need to be added to ensure the proper functioning of the therapy. Nevertheless, low doses of this hormone (between 4-8 international units per week) have shown to be largely free from any harmful side effects. The slight side effects that have been reported have been minor and generally have passed as soon as the body has had a chance to adjust to the new levels of HGH supplementation.

There are of course ways to stimulate the body’s production of this hormone without injecting it directly into your veins. Increasing your intake of the amino acid arginine has been demonstrated to enhance the body’s natural HGH production. Moreover, while vigorous exercise has also been shown to increase production of the Human Growth Hormone naturally, the body’s blood sugar levels must be stable in order to make this happen. As such, one should avoid eating directly before a workout. Also, eating sweets, especially before bed when HGH is secreted by the pituitary gland, decreases HGH release. This is the case again because blood sugar needs to be stable in order for HGH to be produced and utilized by the body.

Aside from these natural ways of promoting HGH production, supplemental HGH is now available in a range of products not involving needles and injections. These supplements are designed to target a variety of age related disorders including fine lines and wrinkles, slow healing of wounds and injuries, slow metabolism and weight loss, as well as reduced energy and libido. HGH supplementation can therefore be utilized for a variety of disorders and health problems.

Thus, whatever the particular problem might be that you seek to address with the use of hormone replacement, Human Growth Hormone therapy is proving to be the next big thing in health products and supplementation. Whether or not Brad Pitt is or is not taking Human Growth Hormones, the fact remains that the claims made by adherents of this miracle substance are pretty extraordinary. Human Growth Hormone therapy is making big waves in Hollywood and beyond. Although it may still be too early to tell, Human Growth Hormone supplementation may just be the magic bullet to health, vitality and that svelte movie star physique we all crave. Perhaps we really have found that long lost fountain of youth.

Author's Bio: 

Dale Miller is a health, sports, fitness and nutrition enthusiast. He operates http://centurysupplements.com/ and writes a blog at http://centurysupplements.com/blog/