What is HGH?
HGH stands for Human Growth Hormone. Its discovery was made nearly half a century ago but it was only in the seventies that scientists found out the actual role of HGH in the human body. Till then HGH was something of a riddle.
First of all HGH is a compound, produced in the anterior pituitary gland of the human brain. Even after scientists had discovered where it was produced, it was not known it's real role in the functioning of the body.
HGH is produced in humans to cause an increase in the stature and overall growth of a child. It helps increase metabolism, strengthens our immune system, calcium retention, lowers fat content, regulates sugar levels, controls the secretion of Insulin and the general health and conditioning of the body. HGH plays a very crucial role in our growing years.
Human growth hormone actually comprises of around a hundred and ninety amino acids that are secreted by cells known as 'somatotrophs' in the pituitary gland. The main function of HGH in body growth is to prompt the liver to secrete 'Insulin like Growth Factor' or IGF-1, which does the actual work of promotion of growth by its action on the cells of the body.
The secretion of growth hormone is actually regulated by one hormone from the stomach and two other hypothalamic hormones.
The hormone secreted by the stomach is Ghrelin, which is a peptide hormone and stimulates secretion of GRH. The two hypothalamic hormones are:-
1) Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone or GHRH, which prompts the production and secretion of growth hormone.
2) Somatostatin, which controls release of GH as per GHRH and other factors.
Secretion of HGH begins in infancy and continues at this rate throughout our childhood and is also at its highest level during this stage of our life. It reaches its peak during puberty and its effects are clearly visible in the accelerated growth seen in the teen years.
After the secretions have reached their high in adolescence there is a gradual decline tapering off in the early thirties. If the secretion of human growth hormone is erratic or abnormal it manifests itself in abnormally accelerated growth and excessively retarded growth. Excessive secretion of hormone results in gigantism and a condition called 'Acromegaly'.
Insufficient secretion of the hormone results in dwarfism. Gigantism is a result of a tumor like formation during childhood of the affected person. It is not a healthy situation and such people do not live very long. One of the most famous cases was Robert Wadlow, whose weight was normal at birth but grew to a height of 6'2" and 195 lbs at the age of eight. He eventually grew to 8' 11", but died at the age of twenty two.
Such tragedies can be avoided if the rate of secretion of HGH is kept within acceptable levels. If there is a spurt in secretion of HGH after the normal growth process stops, which is during adulthood, it results in a condition called Acromegaly.
It causes the facial bones to grow and also the jawbone to expand. This condition is also seen in bodybuilders who take additional supplements of HGH to increase muscle mass and reduce fat but end up with the fore-mentioned problems and also increase in the size of their internal organs like the heart, leading to irreparable damage.
However, if given under proper medical advice it can help to rectify growth defects in children like impaired height and dwarfism. It can thus be seen that if HGH can be given artificially it can serve as a boon and blessing rather than an anathema.
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