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Natural Human Grown Hormone and Aging

I often wondered about the ads I’ve seen in magazines and billboards advertising the youthful benefits of Human Growth Hormone (HGH). I know that this particular hormone is produced by the pituitary gland to fuel childhood growth and help maintain tissues and organs throughout life. So, why is it so important that companies have unleashed a barrage of ads? Two words: Baby Boomers.

It seems that, around the age of forty, the pituitary gland begins a process of early retirement by slowly reducing the amount of growth hormone it produces. Although this is a perfectly natural transition, the volume of Baby Boomers that have reached this stage is a market to big for supplement and pharmaceutical companies to ignore. And this, has prompted an "on mass" interest in the use of synthetic human growth hormone (HGH) to stave off the realities of old age.

But before you rush out to the 'flavor of the day' clinic or demand synthetic HGH from your personal physician, consider that this is the same stuff they give cattle to make them “beefier.” In fact, while synthetic HGH is proven to increase muscle mass in humans, it does not translate into increased strength.  And, because these tests have been conducted over a relatively short time, there is an ambiguity over whether or not there are detrimental side effects to extended use or if the benefits decrease over time.

Yet, don't give up hope. Your little pituitary gland is very much capable of doing more if you just encourage it to do so. How, you might ask? Well, the pituitary gland can continue its’ natural release of HGH through certain kinds of exercise. High intensity interval training (cardio) and intense weight lifting (especially routines that work several major muscle groups at once) to muscle exhaustion trigger increased release of this youth-giving hormone, just to name a few.

What's best is that this extra release is nowhere enough to produce the negative side effects that can be experienced by the use of the synthetic hormone, but is certainly enough to provide you with denser bones, better sleep, enhanced immune function, healthier skin, more lean muscle tissue, and more efficient fat-burning.

This is not to say that some Boomers may have legitimate need of synthetic HGH, but I prefer to allow the body to regulate this task first. If you have specific concerns about aging, be sure to ask your doctor about proven ways to improve your health. But always remember that making healthy lifestyle decisions — such as eating a healthy diet and including physical activity in your daily routine — can help you look and feel your best at any age.

As always – Enjoy Your Life,

John Aaron Villarreal



The Legal Stuff: I write to inform, inspire and encourage my readers to enjoy all that life has to offer.
The content and information on this site is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease.
Please consult your physician prior to starting any exercise, diet or wellness program.
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