Human Growth Hormone Risks

In recent years, human growth hormone has received a lot of attention for its abuse by athletes and its possibilities of reversing the aging process. While human growth hormone has proven effective in helping under-developed children and assisting adults with a number of illnesses, the jury is still out when it comes to its use in other therapies.

Human growth hormone induces growth promoting effects by stimulating the liver to increase production of the natural insulin-like growth factor, IGF-1. However, numerous studies have been published in peer reviewed scientific journals showing that elevated IGF-1 levels are strongly associated with major risks of colon, prostate and breast cancers.

Studies have shown that even minor elevations in IGF-1 are associated with up to a seven-fold increased risk of breast cancer.  Additionally, IGF-1 inhibits the body's programmed self-destruction of cancer cells, thus stimulating the growth and invasiveness of small, undiagnosed cancers and increasing the resistance of cancers to chemotherapy.

The introduction of any foreign substance, even if your body produces it naturally, will trigger reactions by the body. Human growth hormone risks range from minor joint pain to abnormal bone and cartilage growth. Additional risks from human growth hormone include fluid retention, serious high blood pressure and reversible insulin resistance in diabetics.

There are also growing concerns over the possible risks from the use of human growth hormone nutritional supplements, including oral sprays. Human growth hormone absorption through the mouth and gut is insignificant compared to injectable HGH; however, experts believe that nutritional human growth hormone supplements should be banned until further studies are conducted on their safety.

Human growth hormone medication should only be administered by qualified endocrinologists for specific medical disorders, as approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in 1985. Recombinant human growth hormone has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for adult men and women in the treatment of hypopituitarism and somatotropin deficiency. The use of human growth hormone as anti-aging medication has never received FDA approval.

In addition to the potential health risks associated with human growth hormone, there are legal ramifications as well. The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act severely restricts the distribution of human growth hormone. Section 21 U.S.C. 333(e) of the Food and Drug Administration states that "…whoever knowingly distributes, or possesses with intent to distribute, human growth hormone for any use in humans other than the treatment of disease or other recognized medical condition, where such use has been authorized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under 21 U.S.C. 355 and pursuant to the order of a physician, is guilty of an offense punishable by not more than 5 years in prison, such fines as authorized by Title 18, United States Code, or both."

The risks of using human growth hormone for anti-aging or to increase athletic abilities is illegal. The long term physical effects of using human growth hormone for extended periods of time are yet unknown.