Human growth hormone, or HGH, is a protein-based poly-peptide hormone. It is secreted by the somatotroph cells present within the lateral wings of the anterior pituitary gland in the brain. The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain. HGH fuels childhood growth.
It stimulates growth, cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. It helps in maintaining tissues and organs throughout life. It enhances the growth of tissues by stimulating formation of protein. HGH is responsible for energy and all the health benefits associated with youth. Since it controls so many functions in the body, it is often referred to as “the key” hormone.
HGH is responsible for numerous metabolic activities in human body. It is responsible for the regulation of insulin or glucose metabolism, synthesis of protein, production of osteoblast (bone mass), transportation of amino acids across cell membranes, growth factor-I and IGF-2, and metabolism of fat.
HGH is plentiful in the human body during youth. However, its level declines rapidly after the age of 30. It is responsible for normal growth and development of the body. It serves this purpose by stimulating the production of protein in muscle cells and release of energy from the breakdown of fats.
Deficiency of HGH causes several heath issues at different stages of life. Insufficient secretion of HGH before puberty leads to pituitary dwarfism. HGH deficiency may be categorized as either congenital or acquired. The former is characterized by abnormally short height in childhood.
The latter is symptomized by weight gain, decreased lean body mass and increased fat mass. To add to all these, HGH strengthens the immune system, increase bone density, increase muscle mass, promotes better sleep, promotes skin texture, boosts libido, and eliminates several signs of aging like balding, formation of wrinkles and graying of hair.
Everyone wants to retain youthfulness. To meet such a demand of common mass, scientists have come up with an HGH supplements. It contains mixture of substances which can stimulate the production of HGH in the human body. HGH is also being produced by genetic engineering.
The growth hormone produced naturally in animals is called somatotropin while the one produced by recombinant DNA technology is known as somatropin. Recombinant human growth hormone (HGH) or somatropin is produced by cells which have been genetically engineered to produce this hormone.
