Growth Hormone (HGH) in Sports

Growth hormone (GH, somatotropic hormone, STG, HGH, somatotropin, somatropin) is a peptide hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland, which is used in sports to shape muscle definition. Growth hormone or somatotropin (from the Latin “soma” meaning body) got its name because it causes a pronounced acceleration of linear (in length) growth in young people, primarily through the growth of long tubular bones in the limbs.

The baseline concentration (normal) of growth hormone in the blood is 1-5 ng/ml, but during peaks, it can increase to 10-20 or even 45 ng/ml.

Pharmacological properties

  • Anabolic action – stimulates muscle growth
  • Anticatabolic action – inhibits muscle breakdown
  • Reduces body fat
  • Regulates energy usage
  • Accelerates wound healing
  • Has a rejuvenating effect
  • Stimulates the regrowth of internal organs (atrophied with age)
  • Promotes bone growth and increases growth in young people up to 26 years old (until growth plates close), strengthens bones
  • Increases blood glucose levels
  • Strengthens immunity

Some effects of the drug are caused directly by the hormone itself, but a significant portion of its effects is mediated through insulin-like growth factor IGF-1 (formerly known as somatomedin C), which is produced in the liver under the influence of somatotropin and stimulates the growth of most internal organs. Almost all effects of growth hormone in sports are associated with the action of IGF-1.

Age-related changes in secretion

Decline in secretion with age
Growth hormone secretion steadily decreases with age. It is minimal in the elderly, where both the baseline level and the frequency and amplitude of secretion peaks are reduced. The baseline level of somatotropin is highest in early childhood, and the amplitude of secretion peaks is greatest in adolescents during periods of intensive linear growth and puberty.

Read main article Age and Growth Hormone

Daily secretion rhythms

Like many other hormones, somatotropin is secreted periodically and has several peaks throughout the day (typically a peak occurs every 3-5 hours). The highest peak is observed at night, about an hour after falling asleep.

Growth hormone in bodybuilding

Initially, growth hormone preparations were used for medical purposes, but almost simultaneously, the hormone became widely used in bodybuilding due to its ability to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat. The first growth hormone preparations were extracts from the pituitary glands of cadavers, and only in 1981 was recombinant somatotropin produced.

Although growth hormone in bodybuilding is considered a mass-gaining drug, a study suggests that the effect of growth hormone on muscle hypertrophy is greatly exaggerated. In 1989, somatotropin was banned by the Olympic Committee. Despite the ban on its use for athletic purposes, sales of the drug have increased several times in the past decade. Growth hormone is primarily used in sports, especially in bodybuilding, where it is combined with other anabolic substances.

Increase in lean muscle mass and fat burning

The main reason for the high popularity of growth hormone in sports is its ability to reduce subcutaneous fat [2]. Additionally, studies have shown that somatotropin intake leads to an increase in lean muscle mass, connective tissues, and muscle cell volume through fluid retention [3].

Another beneficial effect of somatotropin is the reduction in injury frequency. This is due to its ability to strengthen bone and connective tissues (tendons, cartilage). Growth hormone accelerates healing and tissue recovery after injuries [4].

It should be noted that using growth hormone in powerlifting is pointless, as experiments have shown that it does not increase strength indicators. Somatotropin also does not improve endurance and performance, and on the contrary, it can reduce fatigue thresholds and slow recovery, making it useless for athletes in sports where these factors are important [5].

Conclusion: Growth hormone can be used in sports to improve muscle definition.
Advantages: High efficiency, low frequency of side effects, does not affect sexual function or potency, does not cause androgenic effects, and does not require post-cycle therapy (PCT). After a month-long course, overall body mass increases slightly (3-4 kg), and in some cases, it remains unchanged due to significant fat loss.
Disadvantages: High cost – about $1,000 per course. The drugs are expensive and actively counterfeited, so there is a significant risk of encountering a counterfeit.

In a 2017 study [6], it was proven that the consumption of growth hormone for 6 weeks in men with obesity, at doses up to the upper normal level of IGF-1, led to a reduction in the size of adipocytes (fat cells) in the abdominal area.

Side effects of growth hormone

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Hyperglycemia
  • Suppression of thyroid function
  • Fluid retention
  • Increased blood pressure

Read main article HGH side effects

Growth hormone stimulators

The main regulators of growth hormone secretion are the peptide hormones of the hypothalamus (somatostatin and somatoliberin), which are released by neurosecretory cells of the hypothalamus into the pituitary portal veins and directly affect somatotropes. However, many physiological factors influence the balance of these hormones and growth hormone secretion. It has been proven that growth hormone secretion can be increased 3-5 times without the use of hormonal substances.

Secretion stimulators:

Peptides are the most powerful growth hormone stimulators, increasing concentration 7-15 times, with the cost of the equivalent course being much lower:

  • GHRP-2
  • GHRP-6
  • Ipamorelin
  • GRF(1-29)
  • CJC-1295
  • Tesamorelin
  • Ibutamoren is a non-peptide, long-acting agonist of ghrelin receptors.

Other stimulators:

  • Clonidine (clonidine) and moxonidine (antihypertensive agents) are powerful inducers of secretion from available pharmacological substances [7]. Bamberger CM, Mönig H, Mill G, and co-authors experimentally demonstrated in a human study that clonidine (0.3 mg dose) increased levels from 0.2±0.1 to 5.4±1.5 ng/ml, while moxonidine (0.3 mg dose) increased levels from 0.1±0.04 to 4.8±1.9 ng/ml. In comparison, a standard dose of GHRH increased levels from 0.01±0.05 to 14.8±2.5 ng/ml. Additionally, moxonidine stimulates insulin secretion and has an anticatabolic effect, making it a promising drug in bodybuilding (especially when antihypertensive therapy is required).
  • Niacin, niacinamide (nicotinamide), especially in the form of Xantinol nicotinate [8]
  • L-DOPA (levodopa), especially in the form of carbidopa [8]
  • Hydrazine (ergoloid mesylate) [8]
  • Dilantin (phenytoin) [8]
  • Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL)
  • GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate, gamma-oxymass acid, GHB) [8] – increases GH levels 9-16 times. It increases prolactin levels by 5 times.
  • GABA
  • Baclofen – another stimulator with a proven effect. This drug is a GABA analog but differs from it by its ability to penetrate the brain well [9]. Additionally, it has sedative, muscle-relaxing, and euphoric effects.

And others:

  • Adequate sleep
  • Physical exercise (the effect of aerobic training is almost twice as strong as strength training) [10]
  • Protein intake
  • Creatine – recently it has been proven that creatine can increase IGF-1 production
  • Amino acid arginine, especially in combination with lysine [8]
  • Amino acid ornithine, especially in the form of OKG (alpha-ketoglutarate L-ornithine) [8]
  • Amino acid glutamine
  • Amino acid glycine [8]
  • Amino acid tryptophan, especially in combination with vitamin B6 (30 mg), vitamin C (250 mg) [8]
  • Hunger – not suitable for bodybuilding

Sports nutrition

Special sports supplements can increase growth hormone production 2-4 times:

  • Fountain Of Youth HGH Complete
  • Applied Nutriceuticals HGH Up
  • Universal GH Max
  • Supplements with arginine and glutamine

Warning

Anabolic drugs should only be used as prescribed by a doctor and are contraindicated for children. The provided information does not encourage the use or distribution of potent substances and is aimed solely at reducing the risk of complications and side effects.

Sources

  1. Regulation of muscle mass by growth hormone and IGF-I
  2. Rennie MJ (April 2003). “Claims for the anabolic effects of growth hormone: a case of the emperor’s new clothes?”. Br J Sports Med 37 (2): 100–5.
  3. Harvard Health Letter. Harvard Health Publications. 2008-01-01. “Used by athletes to build muscle, human growth hormone may in fact make muscles bigger, but not necessarily stronger. HGH is also marketed as an anti-aging treatment, but there are no data about possible side effects from long-term use.”
  4. Rennie MJ (April 2003). “Claims for the anabolic effects of growth hormone: a case of the emperor’s new clothes?”. Br J Sports Med 37 (2): 100–5.
  5. Harvard Health Letter. Harvard Health Publications. 2008-01-01. “Used by athletes to build muscle, human growth hormone may in fact make muscles bigger, but not necessarily stronger. HGH is also marketed as an anti-aging treatment, but there are no data about possible side effects from long-term use.”

    6. GH administration decreases subcutaneous abdominal adipocyte size in men with abdominal obesity

  6. Bamberger CM, Mönig H, Mill G, Gödde E, Schulte HM. Growth hormone secretion in response to the new centrally acting antihypertensive agent moxonidine in normal human subjects: comparison to clonidine and GHRH. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 1995;103(3):205-8.
  7. Ronald Klatz “Study of Growth Hormone”
  8. Davis LL, Trivedi M, Kramer GL, Rush AJ, Orsulak PJ, Akers L, Petty F. Growth hormone response to baclofen: a comparison of 10-mg and 20-mg doses in healthy men. Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA.
  9. Nindl B. C. et al. Twenty-hour growth hormone secretory profiles after aerobic and resistance exercise //Medicine and science in sports and exercise. – 2014. – Т. 46. – №. 10. – С. 1917-1927.