The human growth hormone (HGH) is a hormone that plays a crucial part in both children’s and adults’ growth. It is produced in the pituitary gland as part of the growth hormone secretagogue (GHSS) hormone family, which also consists of ghrelin and obestatin (GHRelin). HGH is active when it comes to increasing muscle mass and strength, but it also plays a role in lowering body fat and blood pressure. In this article, we will discuss what is currently known about the effects of HGH therapy in relation to weight loss.
Does HGH Therapy Help You Lose Weight?
Weight loss is one of the most common goals that people set for themselves when they start treating their pituitary gland with HGH. There are many different types of HGH therapy, so the effects on weight loss will vary depending on what form of treatment a person undergoes. In the next paragraphs, we will discuss some of the more well-known forms of HGH therapy.
Subcutaneous HGH Therapy
This is the most common type of HGH therapy and is carried out by simply injecting the hormone under the skin. It is a convenient and painless procedure and many people experience positive effects from it. It is often combined with other treatments, such as liposuction, for improved outcomes.
Intramuscular HGH Therapy
This type of HGH therapy involves injecting the hormone into the muscles of the body. It is a more traditional approach to HGH administration and was originally developed in the 1950s. It is a particularly useful treatment for patients with pituitary dwarfism, who will experience an increase in both height and muscularity due to the intramuscular administration of HGH. There is also evidence to suggest that it may be effective in promoting weight loss and improving overall quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Intranasal HGH Therapy
This type of HGH therapy involves administering the hormone directly into the nose, usually with a nasal spray. It is a relatively new approach to administering HGH and was developed in the early 2000s. It has the advantage of being a non-invasive procedure and many people experience benefits from it, including improvements in sleep quality and reduction in snoring, which are both associated with better glucose tolerance and hence better weight loss.
Gastric (Stomach) HGH Therapy
This type of HGH therapy involves administering the hormone directly into the stomach via a tube. It was developed in the 1960s and is commonly used to treat patients with gastronomy disorders, such as obesity, who want to experience an increase in their muscular mass. It is also useful for patients with diabetes mellitus who want to improve their glucose metabolism. There is a danger of overdosing when using this route of administration, so frequent monitoring of blood glucose levels is required.
Ocular (Eye) HGH Therapy
This type of HGH therapy involves administering the hormone directly into the eye. It has the advantage of being a non-invasive procedure and many patients enjoy the benefits, including improved night vision and reduction of eye pressure, which can lead to increased productivity at work and better cognitive functions, such as attention and memory. It is also useful for patients with glaucoma, who want to improve their optic nerve health and hence their vision.
Does HGH Therapy Help With Weight Loss?
As we mentioned above, there are many different forms of HGH therapy, and the effects on weight loss will depend on which one you undergo. Intramuscular, intranasal and ocular HGH therapies have been shown to improve sleep quality and hence promote weight loss. Furthermore, subcutaneous HGH therapies have been reported to increase lean body mass and reduce body fat, which will also help with weight loss. In contrast, gastric and intranasal HGH therapies have been linked to weight gain and an increased appetite, although this appears to be a modest effect in comparison to the overall benefits of the treatment.
HGH For Weight Loss
Based on the current evidence, subcutaneous HGH therapy is the preferred method of treatment for patients with obesity who are interested in losing weight. It has been shown to increase resting metabolic rate and hence the number of calories that the body burns at rest, which in turn will help with weight loss. Furthermore, it has been shown to increase lean body mass and reduce body fat, which are both factors that play a role in weight loss. The hormone has also been shown to increase the number of stem cells in the bone marrow, which is another positive effect on weight loss.
Other Uses For HGH
Apart from weight loss, HGH has many other applications and has been shown to increase muscle mass and strength, promote bone growth, increase appetite, boost the immune system and decrease cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Most of these effects are mediated by the hormone’s activity on the endocrine glands, especially the thyroid gland. Since this is a broad hormone with so many effects, let’s explore briefly some of the things that scientists have found out about HGH in recent years.
The Effect Of HGH On Bone Growth
HGH therapy promotes bone growth through a number of different mechanisms. It has been shown to increase osteocalcin, which is a substance that plays a key role in calcium absorption and hence helps with bone growth. It also increases matrix metalloproteinases, which are enzymes that are crucial for degrading proteinaceous extracellular matrix (ECM) during the growth process. Lastly, it increases the production of nitric oxide (NO), which is an essential substance in the growth of bones and blood vessels. Just like cholesterol, nitric oxide is produced by the endothelial cells that line the interior of blood vessels.
The Effect Of HGH On The Immune System
The human growth hormone is well-known to be one of the body’s important regulators of the immune system, and it has been shown to increase natural killer (NK) cell activity, which is an important component of the body’s innate immunity. It also promotes the development of T-regulatory cells, which suppress the activity of normal T cells, thus playing a role in immune tolerance. Lastly, the hormone has been shown to induce the maturation of dendritic cells, which are important players in the body’s acquired immunity.
The Effect Of HGH On Cholesterol And Blood Sugar Levels
HGH therapy has been shown to improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and in those with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The effect of the hormone on cholesterol levels is probably mediated by an increase in bile acid synthesis, since it is known to decrease synthesis of cholesterol-containing biomolecules. In people with diabetes, the hormone has been shown to decrease glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, suggesting that it may improve glucose tolerance. As for blood sugar levels, they have been shown to decrease in patients with type 2 diabetes and in those with NAFLD after receiving HGH therapy. Moreover, they have been shown to increase in people with HIV following treatment with the hormone. It should be noted that the effect of HGH on blood sugar levels is relatively modest and it has minimal effects on serum cholesterol levels in comparison to the overall benefits of the treatment.
Does HGH Therapy Help With Appetite?
Many patients who undergo HGH therapy report experiencing an increase in their appetite. This is likely due to the hormone’s activity on the endocrine glands, especially the thyroid gland. It has long been known that the thyroid glands are stimulated by the action of HGH, which results in the production of thyroid hormones, such as thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroid hormones are crucial for regulating the body’s metabolism and hence playing a role in appetite. In particular, T3 can increase basal metabolic rate and hence calorie burning capacity.
The Effect Of HGH On Sleep Quality
The human growth hormone is known to be an important regulator of sleep quality. It has been shown to promote sleep by increasing the secretion of melatonin from the pineal gland. This is an important substance that helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm and hence promotes sleep. Moreover, it has been shown to increase the total amount of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, reduce REM sleep and hence increase dream activity. Finally, it can improve memory in people with Alzheimer’s disease by helping to clear amyloid-beta proteins from the brain.