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Updated: 04 January 2024

As we age, human growth hormone (HGH) production naturally slows, but it doesn’t affect adults in the same way as children.

Many people are turning to human growth hormone injections for their potential anti-ageing effect or to improve performance in the gym or at sports. Here, we share all the benefits and side effects of growth hormones to help you see the full picture of their use and whether they’re right for you.

What Are Human Growth Hormones? 

Human growth hormone (HGH or GH) is the naturally occurring hormone that helps humans grow. It is primarily produced in the growth stage of life, peaking at puberty and then slowly declining later in life.HGH helps build, repair and maintain brain and organ tissue, build bones, and promote cell growth and regeneration. It’s a vital hormone produced by the pituitary gland. If a child is deficient in natural growth hormone (HGH) and suffers from poor growth, a doctor may prescribe synthetic human growth hormone so they can build strong, healthy bones and organs. Growth hormone deficiency is a rare condition but must be addressed.

Pituitary gland 3d illustration

Medical Use of Growth Hormones

Growth hormones are usually used for various medical conditions, although it has become more common for people to use them for other reasons.

Potential users for growth HGH treatment in the UK and around the world are:

  •  Turner syndrome — A genetic disorder that can affect a girl’s development
  •  Prader-Willi syndrome — A genetic disorder that can cause reduced muscle tone, low sex drive and the feeling of being constantly hungry. This condition is rare.
  •  Chronic kidney disease
  •  HGH deficiency or insufficiency
  •  Children born small for gestational age.
  • Short bowel syndrome — Meaning that someone isn’t able to properly absorb nutrients due to the small intestine being reduced through illness or surgery
  • HGH deficiency due to rare pituitary gland tumours
  • Muscle wasting.

Alternative Uses for Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Treatment 

While the above conditions are considered serious reasons for human growth hormone treatment, they can also be used to improve athletic performance or someone’s general quality of life. Some potential uses of human growth hormone injections are to combat:

  •  Loss of muscle mass
  •  Increased abdominal fat
  •  Decreased sexual performance
  •  Lack of energy
  •  Mood swings
  •  Disrupted sleep.

Side Effects and Risks of Human Growth Hormone Treatment

young women holding her knee from knee ache

Without the guidance of a doctor, taking human growth hormones can have severe and dangerous side effects. A professional doctor, such as Dr Tan, will use blood/urine tests to monitor HGH levels during the treatment to combat any side effects.  

Side effects of using human growth hormone may still include:

Short-term potential side effects

  • Joint problems
  •  Muscle aches
  •  Headaches
  •  Nausea
  •  Swelling of feet and hands.

Long-term and serious potential side effects

  • Changes in blood sugar insulin (and Type 2 diabetes)
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Gynecomastia — gaining breast tissue
  • Increased risk of certain types of cancer
  • Enlargement of breast tissue (gynecomastia)
  • Increased risk of certain cancers
  • High blood pressure
  • Liver damage

As with all types of medical treatments, there will be associated side effects, and it’s important to be aware of these so you can adjust the dose or stop the treatment if necessary. A review of the research into recombinant human growth hormone (rGH) therapy, which studied both the short and long-term effects, demonstrates that rGH therapy has had an exemplary track record of safety and efficacy. 

Talk to your prescribing doctor immediately if you are taking growth hormones and experiencing any of the above symptoms. Alternatively, if you are concerned about any of the above symptoms or are curious to see other ways that human growth hormone injections could help you, our men’s health specialists at Harley Street MD are here to help.  Benefits of Human Growth Hormone Treatment

Young woman relaxing in summer sunset sky outdoor.

If you have a  growth hormone deficiency, supplementation of human growth hormone injections can improve your quality of life.

While not all of these benefits are true for every person, it’s wise to speak to a healthcare professional to help you achieve the results you’re hoping for before starting human growth hormone treatment. A good doctor should be able to set realistic expectations about what you can achieve.

Results are unlikely to happen overnight, but with HGH treatment taken over time, you can hope to achieve some of the following benefits:

  •  Improved mood and mental health
  •  Improved energy levels
  •  Better quality of sleep
  •  Increased muscle mass and strength
  •  Ability to lose weight and keep it off if used alongside a healthy diet
  •  Increased libido and sexual performance
  •  Lower cholesterol
  •  Balanced testosterone levels
  •  Better mental acuity and memory
  •  Improved bone mass
  •  Better immune system function
  •  Replenished and rejuvenated skin
  •  Faster recovery from injuries and wounds.

Signs of Growth Hormone Deficiency

Tape measure around woman's waist

If you’re concerned that you might have a growth hormone deficiency, you should consult a medical professional. They should be able to help you run the proper tests and diagnose you more accurately.

There are some signs you can look out for:

  •  More body fat, particularly around the waist
  •  Reduced bone mass
  •  Less stamina during physical activity
  •  Struggling to build muscle mass
  •  Feeling anxious or depressed
  •  Exhaustion or fatigue
  •  Feeling sensitive to temperatures.

You should also be mindful that this list is not exhaustive, and if you have one or several of the symptoms listed, it doesn’t mean you have a growth hormone deficiency.

If you are unsure, it’s best to book a consultation with a doctor, as human growth hormone treatment is an effective treatment.

Human Growth Hormone Treatment FAQs

Is human growth hormone treatment safe? 

You may be wondering if the risk of side effects means that HGH treatment is not safe. As a medical treatment for conditions such as Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and renal failure, research into the long-term safety of treatment with recombinant human growth hormone concluded that “it has had an exemplary track record of safety and efficacy.” This does not mean the risk of side effects, including serious ones, should not be taken into consideration when HGH is used for reasons outside of these medical applications. However, as with all medications there are going to be side effects associated with any treatment, and you need to decide if the benefits outweigh potential side effects.

Can human growth hormone injections build muscle?

Men, in particular, use the hormone for athletic or aesthetic reasons, as it can help improve muscle mass and reduce body fat. Some sources say synthetic HGH improves athletic performance, but scientific proof of this is lacking. HGH is also banned by many professional sports leagues and athletic associations, resulting in fewer studies on growth hormones.

However, a group of researchers reviewed 44 studies on growth hormones in athletes. They found that:

“After receiving daily injections for an average of 20 days, the subjects who received GH increased their lean body mass (which reflects muscle mass but can also include fluid mass) by an average of 4.6 pounds.”

Many people use a combination of steroids and HGH to get maximum results in the gym. You may experience increased metabolism, a gain in muscle mass and decreased body fat, improved mood and cognitive function. If you want to use performance-enhancing drugs, we are here to help without judgment. It’s much safer if you use the help of a professional to mitigate the side effects these drugs can cause.

Can human growth hormone injections be used for anti-ageing?

Although there is no scientific evidence to say that HRG can prevent ageing or be used as an anti-ageing treatment, the effects of human growth hormone injections, such as muscle growth, reduced body fat percentage, bone density, better immune system, organ health and strength, and improved quality of hair and skin may help you to feel younger and more vivacious. 

However, as set out above, using human growth hormone is only advised in certain circumstances, such as human growth hormone deficiency. It therefore should not be seen as a go-to anti-ageing treatment. If anti-ageing is your goal, speaking to a professional for medical advice is the best option. They may recommend an alternative solution like Botox or a Non-Surgical Facelift, as opposed to human growth hormone injections.

What happens if you inject human growth hormone?

Female Doctor Injecting Male Patient With Syringe To Collect Blood Sample

Human growth hormone replacement therapy is an effective treatment for those who suffer from short-term or long-term pituitary disorders. The benefits of this natural remedy include increased muscle mass, better sleep patterns and reduced fatigue while promoting faster healing rates after exercise sessions.

HGH replacement therapy is available in two forms: self-administered or as injections from a doctor. The best results will come with treatments administered for months and sometimes years to optimise your body’s natural production of HGH levels.

Your treatment will start with a blood test to check your growth hormone profile and a consultation with a growth hormone expert. If it’s decided that growth hormone treatment is a good fit for you, then you will be prescribed a course of HGH injections and be taught how to administer them, or the doctor will administer them for you. The doctor will likely want to follow up with you after your course to evaluate how you’re feeling and run more blood tests.

Why Choose Harley Street MD for Human Growth Hormone (HGH) Injections? 

If you’ve weighed up the benefits vs risks of HGH injections and think they might be for you, the next step would be to choose a specialist in HGH treatments. Harley Street MD is one of the only clinics registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) that prescribes human growth hormone injections in London — read more information about Dr Chia Tan here.

It’s difficult to know where to start when choosing a doctor to work with. If you have something serious like Turner syndrome or another genetic condition, we advise consulting with your regular doctor first. However, if you’re searching for HGH treatment to increase muscle mass or improve your general wellbeing, it’s important to look for a specialist like Dr Chia Tan of Harley Street Medical Doctors.

In general, you should look for the following in your human growth hormone specialist:

  • A licensed medical professional
  • Member of various medical boards or associations
  • Great testimonials from other happy patients
  •  An expert in men’s health conditions or specifically HGH use.

The practitioner or clinic should be able to offer you a blood test, followed by a consultation and a plan that’s bespoke to your particular needs. They should also be interested in following your progress during treatment.

Harley Street MD offers a discreet, professional service, free of judgement, with one of our men’s health or human growth hormone (HGH) experts.

Do you think you have a growth hormone deficiency, or are you considering using growth hormones? Book a consultation with our men’s health experts, and we can help you through the process.

Founder at Harley Street MD
Dr. Chia Tan is a UK-trained and GMC-registered doctor and a respected member of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) and the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM). As a former Clinical Education Fellow at the University of Warwick, Dr. Tan has published numerous articles in leading scientific and medical journals, highlighting his expertise.

His extensive qualifications and memberships reflect his profound medical knowledge and dedication to providing exceptional patient care in aesthetic weight loss, and men’s health treatments.
Dr. Chia Tan
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