Human Growth Hormone

Common Name(s): Human growth hormone

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 21, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Published literature documents numerous animal and human studies evaluating use of human growth hormone, primarily for its metabolic benefits. Human growth hormone has been used to increase energy and improve mood, to increase lean body mass and muscle mass, and for its antiaging effects, although there is limited evidence to support these uses.

Dosing

Several capsules of various homeopathic formulations administered daily have helped improve energy and mood; however, data are lacking to provide specific dosing recommendations.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to any of the components of human growth hormone.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation are lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Dose-dependent adverse effects include fluid retention, carpal tunnel syndrome, and gynecomastia. Soft tissue edema has commonly occurred in women treated with human growth hormone and is not dose related. Increased concentrations of glucose and insulin have also been documented.

Toxicology

No data.

Source

The biological source for active human growth hormone is human pituitary glands.1, 2

History

The first report of human growth hormone use for treatment of short stature or growth hormone deficiency was in 1958. Early growth hormone preparations were derived or extracted from human cadaver pituitaries for therapeutic use. The biochemical structure was determined in 1972. Production of some early preparations was discontinued due to the potential increased risk for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, an incurable, often fatal neurodegenerative condition. In 1985, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the commercial use of a recombinant human growth hormone product. Commercial preparations now have the identical 191 amino acid sequence of native human pituitary hormone.1, 2, 3 Human growth hormone injection is FDA-approved for long-term use in the treatment of children with growth failure. However, homeopathic formulations of human growth hormone have not been evaluated for this use.

Chemistry

Human growth hormone is a single polypeptide chain of 191 amino acid residues and 2 disulfide bridges. Chemical dictionaries document the percentage composition as carbon 53.74%, hydrogen 6.96%, nitrogen 16.59%, oxygen 21.69%, and sulfur 1.01%.

Uses and Pharmacology

Published literature documents numerous animal and human studies evaluating use of human growth hormone, primarily for its metabolic benefits. Only select clinical trials will be evaluated due to the volume of available studies.

Antiaging effects

Aging is related to changes in overall body composition and metabolism, and to a reduction in growth hormone plasma levels. In a few short-term studies, age-related changes in body composition and metabolism were reversed or decreased by supplementation with human growth hormone.4, 5

In a meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials of patients treated with human growth hormone, small changes in overall body composition and decreases in total cholesterol levels were observed. No changes in bone density and other serum lipid levels were reported. Due to an increased rate of adverse events, human growth hormone could not be recommended for antiaging purposes. Adverse events with...