HGH controversies

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There are many controversies around the claims, products, and businesses related to the use of growth hormone as an anti-aging therapy. Most of this controversy falls into two categories:

Claims of exaggerated, misleading, or unfounded assertions that real growth hormone treatment slows or reverses the effects of aging
The sale of products that fraudulently or misleadingly purport to be growth hormone or to increase the buyer's own growth hormone to a beneficial degree.

Following a study in 1991 by Rudman (Effects of Human Growth Hormone in Men over 60 Years Old (New England Journal of Medicine, 1990;323:1) which showed significant results from the administration of growth hormone in elderly men, there has been a burgeoning industry surrounding the sale and administration of GH and its purported anti-aging effects.

As is common with such therapies, the literature is now dominated by advocacy from pharmaceutical companies. Solid medical evidence is harder to find, and appears to indicate mixed results. It is likely that there is some advantage, but it is also evident that benefits are being exaggerated by some for commercial gain. ^{[[Citing sources citation needed]]}

Some of the side effects reportedly seen in previously healthy mature patients after taking HGH include:

Edema (retention of fluids)
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Hypertension
Diabetes and other glucose metabolism imbalances

In other users, increases in muscle mass have not been accompanied by increases in muscle strength (a finding also found in some anabolic steroids).

Chronic use of hGH is not well studied, except when used in children for acute growth deficiencies. A long term increase in colon cancer and Hodgkin's Disease has been observed in these cases.Sklar CA. Growth hormone treatment: cancer risk. Horm Res. 2004;62 Suppl 3:30-4. Review. PMID 15539796

References

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