In this episode, you will learn about HGH (Human Growth Hormone). You may have heard of it by now— it's becoming the newest trend in trying to regain youth. So we are going to talk about not only whether HGH gel is “the fountain of youth” but is it safe and should you try it?
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Resources mentioned in this episode:
- 7 Day Spark
- Eating with Intention
- Wellness Circle
- Winter Detox
- Nourishing Skin Oil Recipe
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HGH Gel: Fountain of Youth?
What is HGH?
Inside your human suit, HGH (Human Growth Hormone) is made by the pituitary gland. It's a large protein molecule hormone that causes kiddos who try on a pair of pants they wore a month ago discover they are suddenly high-waters. In addition to growth spurts in kiddos, HGH also helps to regulate body composition, bone growth, and to some extent, metabolism.
As we get older, HGH production by the pituitary gland naturally declines. This has caused some companies to jump on the notion that HGH (or lack of it) has a causal instead of a correlated relationship to aging.
In 1985, a synthetic form of HGH was developed to help treat patients who suffered from “short stature” and “poor growth” related to a myriad of causes such as premature birth, tumors, muscle wasting, chronic kidney disease and a bunch of other diagnoses. It continues to be available via prescription only.
Synthetic HGH has to be injected due to the large molecule size of the HGH, it's not absorbable any other way other than injecting or in the lower intestine (but not if it’s passed through the upper intestine first).
With anything it seems, there are practitioners and patients that abuse HGH and combine it with anabolic steroids to try and achieve, generally with some success, muscle growth.
HGH Gel or Spray
There has been a reemergence of HGH as a topic of conversation in the wellness world with the addition of HGH gels, sprays, and pills. Often these companies make BIG claims that their HGH concoction can turn back your body's biological clock, build lots of muscle, burn lots of fat, even restore hair growth, get rid of gray hair, improve the immune system, increase energy and libido too, even improve sleep quality, vision and memory. After a description like that, people have fistfuls of cash out waiting to get their hands on some. Sounds good right?!
Unfortunately, there are more than a few problems with these claims. Now the problem isn’t with HGH itself, it CAN do those things, although not so dramatically that I would say you will lose 20 years on your aging...you can certainly slow it down. The problem, however, is with the method of delivery of the HGH.
Synthetic HGH in a pill form is destroyed in the stomach digestion before reaching the small intestine to be absorbed.
In a gel or spray, the HGH molecule is much too large to penetrate the skin. There are lots of things that CAN be absorbed through the skin, but HGH cannot. The pharmaceutical industry has developed ways to absorb some drugs through the skin. But it only works for small, non-protein molecules.
For example, Insulin is a protein molecule only half as large as an HGH molecule. If it were possible to absorb that kind of hormone by mouth, by spray, or through membranes, millions of people with diabetes would not need to take insulin by injection. There are millions of dollars spent on research each year to do just that, and it has been unsuccessful to date.
There is one type of HGH gel on the market, that calls itself an HGH gel, but is actually a homeopathic gel that doesn’t contain HGH at all. Even the ingredients are actually bovine adrenal homeopathic ingredients. The principle of homeopathy is that like cures like and that in order to introduce “like” you need an extreme dilution. In this case, this HGH gel meets those qualifications.
I do believe that homeopathy works and can help people, I use them frequently in my practice, so over time, this may be a good solution for fatigue and some other homeopathically treated ailments. Homeopathics are not quick fixes, so it is unlikely to see the improvements claimed swiftly and it would be a reach to call it an HGH gel.
Prescription HGH
Even if you do get your hands on prescription HGH and chose to inject it, there are some big risks. For kids and adults who get synthetic HGH injections, you can count on fertility problems, a much higher risk for cancer (like a MUCH higher risk), increased cholesterol, increase risk of diabetes, and lots of swelling (typically around the face).
Don’t worry, it isn’t all gloom. There is a way to naturally increase your natural HGH production 771%. Yes, seven hundred. Seventy-one. Percent. For real.
How to Naturally Increase Your HGH
You know I love an evidenced-based approach, and luckily there is a really good evidence base that you can increase your HGH (the kind your body can make and use) by 771% with HIIT.
High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT is actually two times more effective at increasing your HGH than injections! What!? In 20 minutes a day just a few days a week you can have this fountain of youth for FREE.
So what does HIIT look like?
It looks like moving your body a max exertion (whatever that is for you) for 30 seconds, followed by moving at a lower exertion for 90 seconds, and repeating that pattern about 8 times, throw in a 5 minute warm up and 5-minute cool down and you’re an HGH generating powerhouse!
Even better, HIIT can be adapted to ANYTHING. You can do HIIT Yoga <<link>>, you can do HIIT on your bike, you can do it walking, or running with sprints/jogging, you can even do it with strength training.
So let’s do a quick recap.
To wrap this up, avoid the latest fad, virtual clickbait or advertised HGH...your body does a phenomenal job of creating all the HGH you need. You simply have to turn it on with a little HIIT movement.
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Be well!