HGH supplementation is becoming a common practice of professional athletes who are suffering from injuries. However, the use of synthetic growth hormones is not limited to medical use. It is now considered as a potent performance enhancing drug like anabolic steroids. Most sports organization includes this drug in the prohibited list. Recently, the MLB adopted random blood testing to determine the extent of HGH use in the minor league. The NFL is also planning to implement the same drug testing policy. In the Olympics, HGH test is already part of the anti-doping policy since 2004.

Medical Use of HGH

Just like anabolic steroids, human growth hormones are used to treat many medical conditions. It is primarily used for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency and short stature in children. This drug plays an important role in the treatment of cancer and AIDS patients because it prevents muscle wasting. It also helps athletes recover faster from injuries. There are already a lot of athletes who admitted that they gained benefits from HGH use. An example is the case of former NFL running back Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar who was able to extend his career because of the help of HGH. The cartilage and meniscus in his knee debilitated because of repeated injury.

The popularity of HGH was also brought by the proliferation of anti-aging clinics across the country. Some health experts use synthetic human growth hormone to combat the signs of aging. People who are in their 40’s or 50’s turn to this drug to look younger. It is also believed that hGH can increase libido and raise the energy level of an individual.

HGH as Performance Enhancing Drug

There is still a lot of debate whether HGH can really boost the performance of an athlete. A review by the American Journal of Sports Medicine revealed that there was no evidence that taking growth hormones will lead to an increase in performance. However, in another study, HGH can help boost athletic performance. A group of Australian researchers found out that the drug helps sprinters improve their performance but clarified that it did not help increase overall strength or fitness. The changes are moderate as compared to the effects of anabolic steroids. They also found out that taking HGH can lead to leaner muscle.

HGH Abuse

Critics of HGH use claims that the drug can cause serious side effects. However, the side effects are commonly caused by improper and abuse of the drug. Individuals may become prone to diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Other side effects of HGH use are muscle, joint and bone pain, cardiac deficiency and hypertension, osteoarthritis and abnormal growth of organs. Over production of human growth hormone can also lead to a shorter life expectancy.

Another problem of HGH users is the quality of the product they are taking. According to a health expert, there are many counterfeit HGH supplements in the market. This could bring serious health problems to the user. For example, pituitary HGH extracted from corpses can transmit diseases like HIV.

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