Growth hormone (GH) is made by the pituitary gland. It is named for its role in childhood growth, but it has many roles in the adult. It is anabolic, which means that it stimulates metabolism. It causes the body to burn fat, and to make protein. It also increases bone density, and stimulates the immune system. Most importantly, it counteracts insulin.
There are two kinds of growth hormone deficiency:
- Clinical deficiency, which causes dwarfism, and serious illness in adults.
- Sublinical deficiency, which is not accepted by the conventional medical community.
Anti-aging treatments focus on subclinical deficiency. Growth hormone does decline as we age, and this is believed by some to be the cause of premature aging, weight gain, bone loss and fatigue. Growth hormone injections are a popular anti-aging treatment, but be careful. The injections may have side effects, such suppressing thyroid function.
In my view, the decline of GH with age is more of a symptom than a cause. GH decline may be the result of a decline in progesterone or testosterone, or, even more importantly, the result of too much insulin as we age.
Think of it this way: growth-hormone is an anti-aging hormone that counteracts the AGEING hormone insulin.
GH and insulin are intertwined. If there is too much insulin, growth hormone cannot keep up. Furthermore, in the presence of excessive insulin, GH becomes less effective. Under normal conditions, GH stimulates insulin-growth-factor 1 (IgF-1), to be released from the liver. It is IgF-1, not GH, that stimulates tissue growth in the body. (Interestingly, too much IgF-1 has been linked with breast cancer. (1)) When insulin resistance has developed, less IgF-1 is released, even if the pituitary releases GH.
IgF-1 is the best blood test for "growth hormone deficiency". Blood test for IgF-1 is available from Sensible-Alternative Clinic.
Ways to increase growth hormone WITHOUT injections
- Improve your GH activity by improving your insulin sensitivity.
- Intermittent fasting. It is not good for the metabolism to be constantly snacking. Growth hormone is stimulated after 4 hours of not eating.
- Avoid household and environmental chemicals that damage growth hormone production. Detoxify.
- Avoid stress, because the stress hormone cortisol directly inhibits growth hormone production.
- Sleep. The last couple of hours of deep sleep cause a dramatic surge in growth hormone. If you do not get 8 hours of sleep, you are missing out.
- Exercise. This helps with testosterone production, which benefits growth hormone. Exercise also has a direct stimulatory effect on growth hormone.
- Eat protein.
- Ensure progesterone production with herbs, or supplement progesterone cream
- Ensure testosterone production. In men, the best way to do this is exercise.
- Supplement zinc, which increases GH binding.
- Supplement magnesium and chromium, which decrease insulin.
- The amino acids ornithine and arginine will convert to GH, but very large doses are required. Glutamine may be helpful at doses of only 2 grams
Appointments at Sensible-Alternative
For professional advice regarding hormonal balance, please call to make an appointment...
Appointments at Sensible-Alternative
For professional advice regarding hormone balance, please make an appointment with one of our Naturopaths.
Locations in Crowsnest Pass, Canada and Sydney, Australia.
1) Dr Lara Grinevitch - Crowsnest Pass, Canada
Lara sees patients on Mondays.
Phone Crowsnest Clinic: 1 403 563 3334. (Clinic phone is attended Tuesday-Friday)
Text message or leave a voicemail on Lara's cell: 1 587 880 4436
2) Biljana Koga or Deborah Gibson - Sydney, Australia
Two Sydney locations: Chatswood - Cronulla
One phone number: 02 8011 1994
To email our Sydney head office: click here.
References:
(1) Hankinson, et al., "Circulating Concentrations of Insulin-like Growth Factor&Mac220;I and Risk of Breast Cancer," Lancet, Vol. 351, No. 9113 (May 9, 1998) pp. 1393-1396.
Author: Lara Grinevitch BSc, ND. Sensible-Alternative Naturopathic Clinic.
