Human growth hormone (HGH), also known as somatotropin, is a vital hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. As the name suggests, it stimulates growth in children and adolescents. However, it continues to play crucial roles throughout adulthood, influencing metabolism, body composition, bone strength, heart function and general wellbeing.
Unfortunately, HGH production naturally starts to decline after the age of 30. This can contribute to undesirable changes like increased body fat, decreased muscle mass,reduced bone density, declined energy levels, impaired immunity and worse cardiovascular health over time. Restoring youthful HGH levels through treatment at the right age can help prevent or reverse many of these age-related declines.
There are several reasons why the pituitary gland slows down its HGH production as part of the natural aging process:
Restoring HGH levels through treatment can help overcome some of these age-related pituitary changes.
Declining HGH levels rarely cause obvious specific symptoms at first. However, over months and years, nonspecific manifestations like fatigue, mood changes and loss of stamina may start to impact quality of life.
More specific signs of HGH deficiency include:
If multiple nonspecific complaints plus some of the more characteristic manifestations above are present, HGH testing should be considered to check for possible deficiency requiring treatment.
Decades of medical research, including multiple placebo-controlled studies, demonstrate that restoring growth hormone levels to more youthful ranges through daily injections of bioidentical HGH leads to wide-ranging benefits:
Muscle mass and strength tend to decline steadily with age in adults. Multiple studies confirm that HGH therapy helps counteract sarcopenia - age-related muscle loss - by stimulating muscle protein production. Over 6 to 12 months, daily HGH shots can increase lean body mass by 2-3 kg while reducing body fat percentage. These changes lead to measurable improvements in strength and exercise capacity. HGH's ability to help build and maintain muscle persists for as long as treatment continues.
In both men and women, visceral belly fat tends to steadily accumulate with aging even if weight stays stable on the scale. By restoring youthful IGF-1 levels, daily HGH injections help mobilize fat stores for energy metabolism. Following 3 to 6 months of treatment, imaging studies document significant decreases in unhealthy visceral adipose tissue. Total body fat percentage drops while lean mass increases. Taking HGH shots for fat loss produces even better, longer-lasting results when combined with lifestyle measures like healthy eating and regular exercise.
Osteopenia and osteoporosis become increasingly common in both sexes after middle age. Daily HGH therapy boosts bone mineral density by stimulating osteoblasts - bone forming cells. It also increases serum levels of bone remodeling factors like osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase. In controlled trials, a full year of daily growth hormone shots leads to measurable improvements in bone mineral density, especially at the hip and lumbar spine sites prone to fracture. HGH's bone strengthening effects persist only while treatment continues.
Age-related HGH deficiency worsens key heart disease risk factors like central obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and impaired glucose metabolism. Studies confirm 12 months of daily HGH injections can lead to reductions in blood pressure, unhealthy lipids and blood sugar, partially reversing these risks. Imaging assessments also reveal growth hormone's ability to help decrease arterial plaque buildup and increase heart ejection fraction for better pumping efficiency. Through these mechanisms, restoring HGH to youthful ranges leads to improved cardiovascular structure and function.
Along with advantages for body composition, muscle mass, bone strength and heart health, adequately restoring HGH levels can also:
Since low HGH levels rarely cause obvious specific symptoms at first, testing is needed to accurately diagnose growth hormone deficiency requiring treatment in adults. Vitality Hormone Center uses advanced diagnostic protocols to thoroughly assess two key parameters:
Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is secreted by the liver in response to HGH stimulation from the pituitary gland. Checking serum IGF-1 levels via simple blood sampling represents an excellent initial screening test for suspected HGH deficiency. Growth hormone stimulation tests can then confirm diagnosis when IGF-1 is low-normal or reduced.
The gold standard for confirming adult growth hormone deficiency involves directly assessing the pituitary's ability to produce HGH. Samples are drawn to measure baseline GH levels. Potent pharmaceutical agents are then administered to stimulate pituitary release of stored HGH. Repeated blood draws over ensuing hours determine if peak stimulated GH secretion meets normal cutoffs.
Vitality Hormone Center provides state-of-the-art stimulation testing options including the preferred insulin tolerance test (ITT). Performed only under licensed physician supervision with emergency equipment available, ITT assesses true maximal pituitary reserve. Our detailed HGH testing protocols accurately determine which patients will clinically benefit from therapy - not just those technically meeting rigid deficiency definitions.
After completely diagnosing bona fide HGH deficiency through blood analysis and stimulation testing, Vitality Hormone Center develops fully customized treatment plans for each unique patient. Key steps include:
Unlike other hormonal systems, no oral medications or supplements effectively stimulate pituitary growth hormone production long-term. Instead, treatment relies on daily subcutaneous injections with FDA-approved biosynthetic human growth hormone. This bioidentical HGH mimics the body's natural 191 amino acid structure. Vitality Hormone Center prescribes and supplies self-administered injectable Norditropin® HGH.
Everyone responds differently, so a low initial dose allows assessing tolerance before slowly titrating upwards towards full HGH replacement dosing under physician guidance. Typical final prescription levels average 1-3 IU injected daily. Vitality Hormone Center closely monitors patient responses via lab work, symptom reports and needed dosage adjustments.
Patients initially follow-up monthly to evaluate early tolerance, then at least every 4-6 months thereafter. Testing IGF-1 blood levels along with tracking body composition changes via fat percentage, muscle mass and possible fluid retention guides dosage titrations. Although daily HGH injections are generally safe long-term under physician management, Vitality Hormone Center regularly monitors for uncommon side effects.
Diet, nutrition, sleep hygiene and regular exercise all profoundly impact HGH therapy effectiveness. Vitality Hormone Center' physicians emphasize evidence-based lifestyle optimization coaching to help patients achieve their individual body composition goals during treatment. Followed consistently, healthy lifestyle choices make daily HGH injections far more efficacious.
Despite concerns that HGH therapy could increase cancer risk, a 30-year study of over 800 patients found no increased cancer risk compared to the general population when HGH doses were carefully controlled and monitored by physicians.
Along with accurate growth hormone deficiency diagnosis and fully customized treatment plans, the Vitality Hormone Center HGH clinic in Woodstock, GA offers additional advantages:
Rather than directing patients to large impersonal "anti-aging clinics", Vitality Hormone Center provides individualized HGH therapy management from our welcoming office conveniently located right here in Woodstock. Our neighborhood clinic allows continued personalized patient access to the managing physician.
Many health plans cover growth hormone treatment for well documented deficiency. Where applicable, Vitality Hormone Center smoothly handles all paperwork, preauthorizations and claim submissions required to access such health insurance coverage. Our billing team persists through any obstacles to obtain maximal coverage.
Despite high medication expenses from Norditropin® HGH makers Novo Nordisk®, Vitality Hormone Center offers competitively affordable treatment pricing. VIP membership plans allow further discounts on growth hormone costs along with savings on other optionally added anti-aging services like testosterone therapy. Bundled treatment plans increase value.
Unlike many clinics staffed mainly by midlevel practitioners, Vitality Hormone Center Woodstock features continuous oversight by expert anti-aging physician Dr. Barry Willard. With over 25 years of practice emphasizing evidence-based hormonal balance and regenerative biotechnologies, Dr. Willard guides each HGH patient's treatment fully supported by our skilled nursing team.
Contact Vitality Hormone Center Today!
To learn more about HGH treatment from Woodstock's premier hormone clinic, contact Vitality Hormone Center today to schedule an initial consultation.
