In addition to the natural growth hormone, which is typically used only by professionals due to its high cost, sports pharmacology offers alternative preparations of growth hormone, the effectiveness of which is questionable. We present to you the opinions of scientists regarding common hormonal preparations, the results of laboratory tests for the content of active substances in them, which reveal the uselessness of many of them.
Main thoughts:
Most scientists are convinced of the absolute uselessness of homeopathic growth hormone
Scientists recommend using natural ways to increase growth hormone secretion
A monthly course of natural growth hormone costs around several thousand dollars.
Since most people cannot afford to splurge on such an amount, many analogs of growth hormone have emerged, which, according to manufacturers’ claims, raise the natural level of the hormone in the body. Such supplements are divided into four groups:
- drugs that stimulate the release of growth hormone (“growth hormone stimulators”)
- homeopathic growth hormone preparations
- drugs whose concentration of growth hormone is measured in nanograms (nanogram strength human growth hormone)
- insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) stimulators
The cost of a monthly course of natural growth hormone is measured in thousands of dollars
Scientists’ Reviews on Amino Acid-Based Growth Hormone Preparations
Some amino acids have the ability to stimulate the release of growth hormone. These include: arginine, glutamine, histidine, methionine, phenylalanine, and lysine.
Amino acid-based growth hormone preparations are reliable stimulators of growth hormone secretion, and their effect can last for several hours.
For maximum effect from the consumption of the listed amino acids, they should also be administered intravenously into the bloodstream, but oral intake in the form of dietary supplements or food (by mouth) is only slightly less effective.
In one study, it was shown that the intake of 1.5 g of arginine and 1.5 g of lysine by young men led to an increase in growth hormone levels of 2.7 times 1. In another study, the consumption of 2 grams of glutamine per day increased the concentration of growth hormone by 4.3 times in individuals aged 32-64 years 2.
Important: A significant drawback of this type of hormonal preparations is their short duration of action: the peak increase in natural growth hormone levels occurs at the 60th minute, while at the 30th and 90th minutes it is lower. In other words, the duration of the peak was only no more than 30 minutes.
The short duration of action has been confirmed in many experiments. In one of them, using the SeroVitale preparation (a product based on a complex of amino acids, produced by SanMedica International, Utah), adults aged 32 years showed a 682% increase in growth hormone levels at the 120th minute. However, just 2 hours later, its concentration was only 3% higher than that of those who took a placebo (“dummy”) instead of the preparation.
It is noteworthy that this study was published only on the manufacturer’s website of the mentioned preparation and presented at a scientific conference, but has still not been published on popular resources.
The doubtfulness of growth hormone supplements based on amino acids is explained by the fact that it is unlikely that such a short-term spike in growth hormone concentration can produce any significant effect on muscle growth or fat burning.
The only confirmations of such an effect apparently come from just two studies conducted by the same researcher 2,3. The author’s goal was to confirm the increase in strength and muscle composition in athletes taking arginine and ornithine; however, a subsequent thorough critical review of the study results revealed gross errors in statistical analysis and, ultimately, the results were deemed unreliable.
The consumption of certain amino acids stimulates the growth hormone concentration, but only for a short time. The effectiveness of a short-term increase in growth hormone concentration for muscle mass or fat burning is questionable.
There is another problem with amino acids that stimulate the release of growth hormone. It is unlikely that athletes gain any benefits from their consumption, as their bodies have already activated the mechanism for producing growth hormone due to serious training activity and high protein intake (= amino acids).
Research confirms that for athletes to increase their growth hormone concentration through additional amino acid intake, even for a short-term effect, they need to consume them in very large quantities, in amounts that cause diarrhea 4,5.
Additional intake of amino acid stimulants by athletes practically yields no results in increasing growth hormone levels, as it is already sufficiently high due to physical activity and high protein consumption.
It has been demonstrated that the body’s response to amino acid intake is reduced in athletes. It is stronger in untrained individuals, such as physically inactive young people. But even for this group, their effect is too short-lived to have any significant impact.
We recommend:
What is better: protein or amino acids (+ BCAA)? Reviews from doctors and experts
| Examples of growth hormone supplements based on amino acids |
|---|
| Name: SeroVital-hgh Manufacturer: SanMedica International, Utah Composition of the product (in 4 capsules): 2.900 mg blend of l-lysine HCl, l-arginine HCl, oxo-proline, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, l-glutamine, and schisandra herb powder (aerial parts) How to take: 1 serving per day Website: www.serovital.com Comment from independent laboratory: according to a study published by the manufacturer, it temporarily raises growth hormone levels. No side effects have been noted. In a small study dedicated to the ingredient Schisandra herb, it was shown to contain the substance pulegone (pulegone) which is toxic to the liver in large doses. The amount of schisandra in the product is not specified |
| Name: Botanic Choice HGH Booster Formula Manufacturer: Indiana Botanic Gardens, Inc., Hobart, IN Composition of the product (in one tablet): 300 mg L-arginine pyroglutamate, 300 mg L-lysine, 150 mg Mucuna pruriens extract (15% L-dopa), 73 mg calcium, 56 mg phosphorus How to use: 1 tablet every 8 hours Website: www.walgreens.com, www.botanicchoice.com Comment from independent laboratory: the amounts of amino acids in the daily dose are less than those shown in studies to be effective in stimulating growth hormone release. |
| Name: Max HGH Human Growth Hormone Releaser [Discontinued]Manufacturer: maxhgh, Fort Lauderdale, FL (no address) Composition of the product (in two tablets): 125 mg L-glutamine, 233 mg glycine, 125 mg L-arginine, 50 mg L-ornithine, 100 mg pepsin 1:3000, 100 mg peptide Dosage: 1-2 tablets per day Website: www.orderhghnow.com Comment from independent laboratory: the amounts of amino acids in the daily dose are less than those shown in studies to be effective in stimulating growth hormone release. |
| Name: HGH Human Growth Agent [Discontinued] Manufacturer: Not specified on the website Composition of the product: Ornithine Alpha Ketoglutarate, L-glutamine, L-arginine, L-lysine, L-valine, L-isoleucine, L-tyrosine, glycine, Alpha GPC, Gaba, L-Dopa Bean Ext, Moomiyo Ext Website: http://www.eyefiveinc.com/humangrowthagent.com Comment from independent laboratory: the exact amounts of all ingredients are not specified, making it impossible to determine how they compare to those used in clinical studies (approximately 1-2 grams per day). |
The most common problem with amino acid-based growth hormone products is the very low doses of amino acids.
And another interesting fact from the American sports nutrition market, which once again confirms that not everything claimed by manufacturers/marketers/sellers should be believed.
In April 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced its charges against the manufacturer of the Nature’s Youth hGH product, a growth hormone secretion stimulator, stating that its claims about the product’s effects were false and misleading.
The company claimed that its product “improves physical performance, accelerates recovery after workouts, enhances heart function, and strengthens the immune system.”
The administration succeeded in having the released batch of the product completely destroyed, and the information on the packaging corrected. There are countless similar instances of exposing sellers of hormonal (and not only) products.
Scientists’ Reviews on Homeopathic Growth Hormone
This class of products is characterized by a completely different approach, which consists of using solutions of natural growth hormone.
Homeopathy has been used for centuries, and its essence lies in the use of very weak solutions of substances for therapeutic purposes.
Initially, homeopathic treatment was carried out as follows: first, a very high dose of the substance was given to the patient, the observed symptoms were documented, and then weaker solutions were used to treat patients with similar symptoms.
For example: caffeine makes a person nervous; homeopathy suggests that weak solutions of caffeine will have a calming effect on irritated individuals.
Not so long ago, a modification of the original homeopathic theory gained popularity, according to which very weak solutions of the active substance, used by healthy individuals, produce the same effect in the body as the active substance itself. Thus, a very weak solution of caffeine should have the same effect as caffeine, and weakly concentrated solutions of growth hormone should act like the growth hormone in normal dosages.
When it comes to homeopathy and very weak solutions, it does not mean “just dilute coffee with water.” Imagine taking one drop of coffee from a cup and placing it in a bathtub filled with water; then taking a drop from the bathtub to a swimming pool; from the swimming pool to the Pacific Ocean. Such manipulations will result in a solution of coffee in which one particle of coffee corresponds to 1035 particles of water (10 with 35 zeros). Homeopaths call such a solution 35X. This is a very large number, as is the degree of dilution of the active substance. However, even this number is small compared to the degree of dilution of individual growth hormone preparations – 10400! This number is impossible to visualize, but its enormity can be appreciated when considering that the total number of atoms in the universe is less than 10100!
Homeopathy claims that both the active substances themselves and their very weak solutions are equally effective. Here, “very weak” refers to incredibly small concentrations of 1035-10400!
Important
: In practice, even a homeopathic preparation with a dilution degree of 1030 (30X) is unlikely to contain at least one molecule of growth hormone. But homeopaths firmly believe that even in this case, there is something like “energy” or “imprint” of the active substance, even if the substance itself is absent. Moreover, they believe that the greater the degree of dilution, the greater the effect (!) and refer to such solutions as “high potential solutions.”
It is obvious that this contradicts common logic and common sense, according to which a greater amount of active substance in a tablet produces a stronger effect.
From the perspective of modern science, none of the above about homeopathy makes sense, and the overwhelming majority of scientists are convinced of the absolute uselessness of homeopathy (when it comes to solutions with a dilution degree greater than 106).
Homeopaths, in turn, provide numerous experiments comparing the effects of homeopathic solutions and placebo. Opponents argue that in more thorough studies, most effects are not confirmed 6,7,8,9,10.
The majority of scientists are convinced of the absolute uselessness of homeopathic growth hormone
| Examples of homeopathic growth hormone preparations |
|---|
| Name: Renewal HGH Advanced formula Manufacturer: Not specified on the website Form: Sublingual spray Recommended dose: 1-2 sprays under the tongue 3 times a day Composition of the preparation: Growth Hormone Somatropin 9x/30x, RNA 9x, Ornithine 9x, MSM 9x, Colostrum 30c, Albumin 3c, Protease 9x Website: http://www.vitadigest.com/hgh-renewal-advanced.html Comment from an independent laboratory: all ingredients are very weak solutions of active substances. A solution with a dilution degree of growth hormone 9x contains only 0.0000001% of the hormone, and 30x – even less. |
One of the studies in favor of homeopathic growth hormone: 69 patients, some of whom took homeopathic growth hormone with varying degrees of dilution (from 106 to 10400), while the other group received a placebo (“dummy”). After 3 weeks, patients who took the growth hormone solutions showed positive changes, while the placebo group did not. For example, there was a noted increase in muscle mass, decrease in fat deposits, and overall health improvement 11.
Thanks to this single study, many homeopathic hormonal products with varying degrees of dilution have appeared on the sports nutrition market.
Important
Some manufacturers of hormonal products promote their products as containing 50% more homeopathic growth hormone compared to others, thus trying to emphasize their superiority and increase sales. However, considering the above, such claims are meaningless, as homeopathy states that the lower the concentration of a substance, the greater the effect.
Scientists’ reviews on growth hormone products, where the hormone concentration is measured in nanograms (oral and sprays)
On the packaging of some growth hormone products, it is stated that the hormone content in one dose is, for example, 2000 nanograms. The figure with three zeros may seem large to those who do not know that a nanogram is just one millionth of a milligram or 0.000000001 grams.
As mentioned above, scientific studies typically use doses on the order of 2 milligrams (~2000000 nanograms). That is, when it comes to amounts equal to 2000 nanograms, remember that this is only 1/1000 of the dose used by scientists in studying its effects. And if we also recall that hormone molecules are very large and to avoid their destruction in the digestive tract, they are often taken orally (drops under the tongue) or nasally (spray in the nose), it is clear that complete absorption cannot occur, and only a very small fraction of hormone molecules will reach their intended target.
Thus, it is important for us: the doses of hormonal products are very small, and not all of this small amount enters the bloodstream.
| Examples of growth hormone products, where the hormone concentration is measured in nanograms |
|---|
| Name: Retropin 2000 [No longer produced] Manufacturer: No information Growth hormone content: 2,000 nanograms per dose (injection) Form of release: Spray, 180 sprays in a 30 ml bottle. Website: http://www.hgh4us.com Comment from an independent laboratory: growth hormone is absorbed very poorly when sprayed in the nose. Even with complete absorption, you would need about a thousand sprays to get a dose equivalent to that provided by an injection. |
Growth hormone spray preparations are absorbed very poorly: even with complete absorption, it would take about 1000 sprays to obtain a dose equivalent to one injection!
Growth Hormone and Insulin
With an increase in the level of growth hormone in the body, the concentrations of other substances, such as insulin-like growth factor IGF-1, also rise. It is believed that this substance is responsible for some effects characteristic of growth hormone. This suggests that additional intake of insulin-like growth factor may be beneficial for muscle growth, just like growth hormone.
However, modern science does not provide clear answers about the effectiveness of growth hormone, and even less is known about the benefits and risks associated with increasing the level of insulin-like growth factor IGF-1 in the blood.
What does this translate to in practice?
Some types of sports nutrition often add the substance Colostrum to enhance the effect. Colostrum is a substance that is present in the milk of a nursing mother for several days, is very rich in protein, and also contains IGF-1. However, there is no scientific evidence that oral intake of this substance actually leads to an increase in insulin-like growth factor IGF-1 and stimulates muscle growth.
Modern science does not have sufficient facts to confirm the benefits of taking insulin-like growth factor IGF-1 for muscle growth.
| Example of an insulin-like growth factor IGF-1 preparation |
|---|
| Name: IGF-1 MAX Form: Spray made with 1.2 grams of VesPro Colostrum XI per bottle. Growth hormone content: 200 nanograms of insulin-like growth factor per dose (36,000 nanograms for the entire bottle). Manufacturer’s website: http://www.igf1max.com Comment from an independent laboratory: very small amount of active substance in the dose (0.0002 milligrams), which, due to the specifics of intake, is not fully absorbed. |
Recommendations from scientists on purchasing growth hormone preparations
Scientists recommend using natural ways to increase growth hormone. By following these simple rules, you can significantly boost your natural growth hormone levels. The result will be improved well-being, appearance, and rejuvenation.
Hormonal drugs may seem like an enticing alternative, but it is clearly wiser to save money for a gym membership.
If, however, contrary to recommendations, you decide to experiment and buy growth hormone, consider the following:
- Do not be fooled by claims about the health benefits of growth hormone. In fact, in the USA, such claims about benefits or the ability to prevent certain diseases or improve various functions in the body are prohibited by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Stay away from products whose packaging does not disclose the full composition of active ingredients. Good examples are products that use “complexes” or “special formulas”.
- If the product name features large numbers, such as “HGH 2000,” it does not mean that it contains 2000 components or a large amount of active substance.
- Pay attention to whether any stimulants are used as ingredients, such as caffeine or guarana. Various sports supplements sometimes contain stimulants to deceive the user and create a false sense of their effectiveness.
- Check for the presence of information on the packaging about the address of the manufacturer or distributor. Its presence does not guarantee quality, but you will know where to turn in case of problems.
