Older people who wish to continue to have the same levels of HGH in their system that they had when they were younger must use supplemental HGH. Until relatively recently, supplemental HGH was obtained primarily through a doctor and with a prescription. HGH is now available through companies that sell anti-ageing products on the Internet. Synthetic HGH is sold on the Internet in pill form, in injectable form, and in spray forms that are intended to be inhaled. Prices for these products vary.
In a clinical setting, HGH therapy can cost “between $7,500 and $10,000” a year (Vance). On the Internet, a one-month supply of one popular brand of spray synthetic HGH cost $59. 95. On another website, a one-month supply of what was promoted as “natural HGH” cost $95. The National Institute of Health and other medical authorities as well as a number of consumer protection agencies have warned consumers about the false claims and other fraudulent practices that have been associated with companies that sell HGH over the Internet.
Customers that obtain HGH through these web sites not only face the risks that may be associated with HGH, but also face the risk that are associated with purchasing drugs that are not produced in accordance with the standards of the Food and Drug Administration. Consumers may be getting HGH or they may be getting an unknown substitute that is being passed off as HGH and may, in fact, be even more hazardous to their health (Wilson). Research on HGH
HGH came to the public’s attention in 1990 with the publication of an article about the positive benefits of HGH in healthy men over age 60 (Rudman, Feller, Nagraj, et al. ) The study was not intended as an endorsement of HGH in human patients, but was instead intended to show the results of the loss of HGH that occurred during the ageing process. Rudman, et al. , found that HGH supplementation was associated with an increase in the amount of lean muscle mass, bone density, and skin thickness of the men that were in their study.
The Rudman study is often cited by websites that sell HGH on the Internet. There are, however, some significant limitations to the study that are typically not included in the content of these commercial websites. Although the Rudman study is compelling and shows some promise, it is important to remember that the sample size of the study consisted of only 12 men, a number that is much smaller than would typically be used for a study on a medication or a clinical trial of a new drug.
It is also important to note that these were healthy men who had no significant medical conditions other than being over the age of 60. The Rudman study, for example, did not show the effects of HGH on arthritis, advanced coronary disease, or any of the other problems that are often mentioned on websites that sell HGH. These limitations in the Rudman study and their implications for the use of HGH in patients were the subject of another article that warned against unrealistic expectations of HGH (Vance).
Other research found that while HGH may increase the amount of lean muscle mass in men over the age of 60, there is not necessarily a corresponding increase in muscle function (Papadakis, Grady, Black, et al. ). Consequently, while older men who take HGH may have larger and more highly defined muscles, their strength does not appear to significantly improve with the use of HGH. The Rudman study and the subsequent research by Papadakis both found that HGH was associated with improved skin tone. As the skin ages, it become thinner and less elastic.
This often results in bruising or breaks in the skin, a common problem in older people. By increasing the thickness and the elasticity of the skin, HGH reduces these injuries and appeared to improve the overall resiliency of the skin on the men who used it. In addition to the physical benefit of fewer skin injuries, this improved skin quality may provide a psychological benefit that accompanies improved appearance. American culture places a high value on youth and a youthful appearance. While changes in the skin are quite literally only skin deep, they may have a much deeper psychological benefit for the ageing individual.