Some people turn to human growth hormone (HGH) in hopes that it will keep them feeling and looking youthful.
Let’s see if it is true.
HGH, produced by the pituitary gland, spurs growth in children and adolescents. It also helps to regulate body composition, body fluids, muscle and bone growth, sugar and fat metabolism, and possibly heart function. Produced synthetically, HGH is the active ingredient in a number of prescription drugs and in other products available widely over the Internet.
HGH Uses and Abuses
Synthetic human growth hormone was developed in 1985 and approved by the FDA for specific uses in children and adults. In children, HGH injections are approved for treating short stature of unknown cause as well as poor growth due to a number of medical causes, including:
- Turner’s syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects a girl’s development;
- Prader-Willi syndrome, an uncommon genetic disorder causing poor muscle tone, low levels of sex hormones, and a constant feeling of hunger;
- chronic kidney disease;
- HGH deficiency or insufficiency;
- children born small for gestational age.
In adults, approved uses of HGH include:
- short bowel syndrome, a condition in which nutrients are not properly absorbed due to severe intestinal disease or the surgical removal of a large portion of the small intestine;
- HGH deficiency due to rare pituitary tumors or their treatment;
- muscle-wasting disease associated with HIV/AIDS.
Some people use the hormone, along with other performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids in an attempt to build muscle and improve athletic performance.
Because the body’s HGH levels naturally decrease with age, some so-called anti-aging experts have speculated and claimed that HGH products could reverse the age-related bodily deterioration. But these claims are unproven.
Nevertheless, some people obtain injectable HGH from doctors who prescribe it for off-label purposes (uses for which it was not approved by the FDA) and through Internet pharmacies, anti-aging clinics, and websites.
Others purchase HGH products — or products that claim to increase your body’s own production of HGH — in the form of pills and sprays. Companies that market these products on TV infomercials or online claim they turn back your body’s biological clock, reducing fat, building muscle, restoring hair growth and color, strengthening the immune system, normalizing blood sugar, increasing energy and improving sex life, sleep quality, vision, and memory.
However, the Federal Trade Commission has seen no reliable evidence to support the claim that these products have the same effects as prescription HGH, which is always given by injection. Taken orally, HGH is digested by the stomach before it can be absorbed into the body.
HGH Side Effects
Possible side effects of HGH use include:
- nerve, muscle, or joint pain;
- swelling due to fluid in the body’s tissues (edema);
- Carpal tunnel syndrome;
- numbness and tingling of the skin;
- high cholesterol levels.
HGH can also increase the risk of diabetes and contribute to the growth of cancerous tumors.
Furthermore, if you get the drug illicitly, you may not know what you are really getting. Because of the high cost, HGH drugs have been counterfeited. If you are not getting HGH from a doctor, you may be getting an unapproved product.
You should speak with a doctor before considering any form of HGH. The only proven and efficient way of taking HGH is to take it in the form of injections.
Best Injectable HGH on the Market
Let’s review the eight most recognized providers of HGH injections on the market.
Genotropin
Being in use since 1996, Genotropin is an original American brand of man-made growth hormone. This synthetic growth hormone is manufactured by Pfizer Inc., one of the largest American pharmacology corporations. Pfizer corporation owns the original patent for injectable growth hormone.
Humatrope
Humatrope is available as a pharmaceutical treatment for more than 30 years. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the usage of this man-made hormone in 1998. Humatrope has the same 191 amino acids as Genotropin.
Omnitrope
Omnitrope is manufactured by Sandoz, the leading company in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. You can find this recombinant HGH injection in a syringe set, an ampul, or a pen. Sandoz claims that the liquid cartridge in the pen injector remains appropriate for usage for 28 days after being open.
Zomacton
Zomacton is a synthesized growth hormone that contains 191 amino acids and is considered to be a medium purity one. The production of this hormone is managed by Ferring Pharmaceuticals or Ferring Holding SA, a research-driven pharmaceutical company specializing in reproductive medicine.
Norditropin
Produced by a Danish international pharmaceutical company, this HGH injection is known under various names including SimpleXx, NordiFlex, and Norditropin Flexpro. Norditropin is often released as an injectable pen.
Zorbtive
This synthetic HGH is produced by EMD Serono – a biopharmaceutical company located in Germany. Zorbtive is considered to be a high purity injection. Since Zorbtive includes 191 amino acids created by a method of genetic recombination, this injection is absolutely identical to the dominant form of growth hormone developed by the human pituitary gland.
Serostim
Serostim is one more form of HGH injection provided by EMD Serono. This injection is available on the market starting from 2002. Serostim differs from other synthetically derived types of HGH as it’s the newest generation of injectable HGH.
Saizen
Saizen is one more man-made growth hormone distributed by EMD Serono. These injections come in dosages from 8mg to 20mg and are available at almost the same purity as Norditropin.
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