Human Growth Hormone – Benefits and Possible Side Effects

Human growth hormone (HGH) otherwise referred to as Somatotropin can mean different things to different people, depending entirely on how it is used. It is a peptide hormone with multiple functions including growth stimulation, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and animals.

If you actively follow sports, you would probably have come across the term for many negative reasons especially cheating and steroid use. It is, however, important to state that HGH is not only associated with negative reasons as there are some (growth) situations when it is medically advised to use it.

Though about one or two milligrams of the hormone is naturally produced by the body, through the secretion of a peptide hormone by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland which stimulates the growth of body tissues, its body presence can sometimes be increased or reduced for reasons that are either medical or personal. Why a person chooses to artificially use the hormone will go a long way to speak on whether the hormone will be entirely beneficial or cause a certain level of risk to the body system.

Here, we focus on exposing some benefits of the HGH hormone that you probably never thought about as well as some possible side effects that it can cause.

Benefits of HGH

Synthetic human growth hormone has been in use for some time especially for specific medical benefits to children and adults.

1. In children, HGH injection is approved for the treatment of Short stature poor growth cases that may arise from reasons including; Turner’s syndrome, HGH deficiency, and risks of chronic kidney disease.
2. For adults, the hormone can be used diversely for;
   • Short Bowel Syndrome: this is a situation where due to severe intestinal diseases patients face difficulty in the absorption of nutrients by their body system.
   • To control muscle wasting diseases that may be associated with HIV/AIDS.
   • Increased muscle strength
   • Better fracture healing
   • Growth hormones accelerate lipolysis that is effective for weight control
   • Improvement in erectile discussion
   • Reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Possible Side Effects of HGH, and Hazards

Although the uses of HGH cannot be overemphasized, possible side effects still abound, especially if not taken on the prescription of physicians like the Greenberg Health doctor. Possible side effects include:

1. Nerve, muscle, or joint pain
2. Carpal tunnel syndrome
3. Swellings resultant from swellings in the body tissues
4. Abnormal cholesterol levels
5. Numbness and tingling of the skin
6. Increased risk of diabetes and growth of cancerous tumours.

Conclusion

Other benefits and side effects may abound, depending on the quantity of intake and present medical conditions but the most common of them have been discussed here. You can learn more about the hormone by visiting a qualified physician.