HGH and Body Fat: Facts You Should Know Before Using
There is no doubt that obesity has become a significant issue in this country. Fad diets, super-sized meals, and processed foods contribute to the problem of weight gain. On fad diets, people often lose weight quickly, then put it and more back on when they return to their regular eating habits. One of the reasons for lack of weight loss success is a hormonal imbalance that contributes to fat retention. In this review, we examine the relationship between HGH and body fat, and why adults dealing with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) tend to gain weight.
As we uncover the truth of HGH and body fat, we find that ensuring proper metabolic function is crucial not only to weight management but also for energy and how we feel.
Growth hormone (GH) is a chemical released by the pituitary gland that controls, regulates, or assists with functions such as cell regeneration, metabolism, immunity, sexual responses, brain functions, insulin, glucose, and cholesterol control, heart health, and more. Human growth hormone (HGH) is the laboratory synthesized version of GH. It has the same molecular structure, making it a bioidentical hormone therapy able to perform the same functions as GH.
Some of those functions directly influence fat storage and retention, such as:
- Stimulating the breakdown of triglycerides (stored fat) and forcing the body to use this for energy
- Promoting the protein anabolism and synthesis that builds muscle mass (resulting in better burning of calories)
- Countering insulin actions of stimulating glucose uptake from the blood into the cells – forcing the body to burn triglycerides for energy
- Promoting carbohydrate metabolism to maintain normal blood glucose levels
The relationship between HGH and body fat explains why people with growth hormone deficiency gain weight.
Does Growth Hormone Deficiency Increase Body Fat?
As we age, the pituitary gland decreases its production of growth hormone. With each year, less GH enters the bloodstream, impairing the many functions of growth hormone in the body. The reduced effects of GH on the various metabolic functions tend to result in increased fat storage.
How does HGH help with weight loss?
One connection between HGH and body fat occurs due to the decreased level of insulin growth factor 1 in the bloodstream. Growth hormone tells the liver to release IGF-1, which shares some of the same receptor cells as insulin. If IGF-1 levels are low, as a result of growth hormone deficiency, then insulin increases the transport of glucose into the cells. As the body burns glucose, it ignores the energy stored in triglycerides. By increasing IGF-1 production, HGH therapy forces the body to pull that needed energy from the fat stores.
Another reason for using HGH for weight loss has to do with sleep. GHD is often linked to sleep problems such as insomnia, light sleep, and frequent waking. In these situations, a person does not spend enough time in deep, slow-wave sleep cycles during the night. That is when the pituitary gland not only secretes GH into the bloodstream, but it is also when the metabolism processes the food and forces the body into converting and using the calories taken in during the day. Cognitive processing of the day’s activities, as well as tissue repair, also happens during the night based on GH secretion.
When a person has low growth hormone levels, they will likely gain weight. The use of HGH injections for weight loss improves sleep, reduces elevated cortisol levels (cortisol opposes GH), and stimulates metabolic functions.
For adults with growth hormone deficiency, increase the level of HGH, and body fat begins to decrease.
Can HGH Benefit Weight Loss?
When we look at people with low body fat and HGH levels that are in the normal range, we find that they effectively burn through the calories that they take in each day. IGF-1 promotes the release of nitric oxide into the blood. As a result of normalized growth hormone levels, the body experiences better circulation and oxygen transport to the cells. An increase in energy helps improve exercise capability, which helps burn additional calories.
When is HGH good for weight loss?
The use of HGH to lose weight is not a diet, per se. There is no such thing as an HGH weight loss program that you can follow. The only people who can benefit from HGH therapy are those with growth hormone deficiency. For that, a hormone specialist will take a thorough medical history, run diagnostic blood tests, and review the results of a physical examination.
Adults diagnosed with GHD will not receive HGH for weight loss as the sole purpose of treatment. Experiencing a decrease in body fat is only one of the many benefits of HGH therapy.
Does HGH make you lose weight if you are a woman using oral estrogen therapy?
The use of HGH for women’s weight loss does vary a bit if she is on oral estrogens. Because estrogen inhibits growth hormone and IGF-1 release, females taking birth control or other forms of hormone therapy may require higher doses of HGH injections. For that reason, it is also crucial to tell the hormone specialist if you stop taking estrogens at any point. HGH dosage will require adjustment at that time.
With increased levels of HGH and body fat loss, a person will experience a decrease in weight.
Do Doctors Prescribe HGH for Weight Loss?
As we stated in the previous section, the prescribing of HGH therapy for weight loss is not the purpose of treating GHD. Loss of body fat is a benefit that comes from increased growth hormone levels improving metabolic and other activities.
Some people may receive prescription HGH for weight loss if they are extremely obese and under a doctor’s care for hormone-related obesity. Studies have shown that a calorie-restrictive diet, along with HGH therapy and exercise, can initiate significant weight loss.
It is also important to point out as a reminder that while the body is improving metabolic functions and burning fat, there is also the increase in lean body mass (muscle) that will negate some of the pound loss that occurs.
Weight loss is not a reason for the prescribing of HGH, and body fat loss is just one of the many benefits of treating growth hormone deficiency in adults.
How Can I Use HGH for Weight Loss?
There are a few questions we want to address before we conclude this report on HGH and body fat. Because HGH therapy does result in the loss of excess weight, many people want to know how they can best use HGH to their advantage.
First, we want you to remember that GHD impacts the body in many ways – not just fat retention. The purpose of HGH therapy is to restore hormonal balance and improve well-being.
There is no “best HGH for weight loss” that we can recommend. That is not how HGH therapy works. Our doctors prescribed a few different brands of HGH, including Norditropin, Humatrope, Omnitrope, Saizen, Genotropin, and Zomacton. Each one of these HGH brands will provide the same superior results.
Is HGH safe for weight loss?
HGH is only safe for use when medically prescribed and supervised by a doctor with extensive experience in hormone balancing.
If you are thinking about using HGH for weight loss, make certain that you have symptoms of growth hormone deficiency, and get tested and treated by a hormone specialist. Follow all instructions as directed, get plenty of sleep, exercise, reduce stress, and eat a healthy diet. That is how you optimize your HGH benefits.
For additional information about HGH and body fat, please contact Kingsberg Medical for a free consultation by phone.
