Articles
Human growth hormone (HGH): Does it slow aging?
Do some adults need human growth hormone?
What can human growth hormone do for healthy adults?
What are the risks of taking human growth hormone if you don't need it?
Does human growth hormone come in pill form?
Content
Do some adults need HGH treatment?
How does HGH treatment affect healthy older adults?
What are the risks of HGH treatment?
Does HGH come in pill form?
What's the bottom line?
Do some adults need human growth hormone?
Yes. Adults who have true growth hormone deficiency — not the expected decline in growth hormone due to aging — might be prescribed synthetic human growth hormone by their doctors.
Growth hormone deficiency might be caused by a benign tumor on the pituitary gland (pituitary adenoma). It also might be caused by treatment of an adenoma with surgery or radiotherapy.
For adults who have a growth hormone deficiency, injections of human growth hormone can:
- Increase exercise capacity
- Increase bone density
- Increase muscle mass
- Decrease body fat
Human growth hormone is also approved to treat adults with AIDS- or HIV-related muscle wasting.
