Articles
Human growth hormone (HGH): Does it slow aging?
Do some adults need human growth hormone?
What can human growth hormone do for healthy adults?
What are the risks of taking human growth hormone if you don't need it?
Does human growth hormone come in pill form?
Content
Do some adults need HGH treatment?
How does HGH treatment affect healthy older adults?
What are the risks of HGH treatment?
Does HGH come in pill form?
What's the bottom line?
Do some adults need HGH treatment?
Adults who have a growth hormone deficiency — not the expected decline in growth hormone due to aging — might be prescribed synthetic HGH by their doctors.
In most people, growth hormone deficiency is caused by a benign tumor on the pituitary gland (pituitary adenoma) or by treatment of an adenoma with surgery or radiotherapy.
For adults who have a growth hormone deficiency, injections of HGH can:
- Increase exercise capacity
- Increase bone density
- Increase muscle mass
- Decrease body fat
HGH treatment is also approved to treat adults with AIDS- or HIV-related growth hormone deficiency that causes irregular distribution of body fat.
