Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is used all over the world by athletes, actors and actresses, and basically anyone else who wishes to develop lean, chiseled muscles while cutting fat stores. It also has an effect on the elasticity of the skin and energy levels, but those are just added benefits to the bodybuilder who is looking to build muscle mass and defined features.

HGH is natural within the body and is used to regulate the body’s insulin levels, transport amino acids, synthesizing proteins and regulating the build up of fat stores. It also effects the libido and immune system—two areas that everyone is happy to see boosted.

Its positive effects on the body (especially when in conjunction with other enhancers) is why it’s a sought after hormone by bodybuilders all over the world. Sylvester Stallone flat out stated in interviews for The Expendables that he used HGH and rumor has it that Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible physique was also a result of using HGH.

Yes, Sylvester stated this in the interview, when asked on his usage of steroids:

“Human growth hormone is nothing. Anyone who calls it a steroid is grossly misinformed. Testosterone to me is ALSO important for a sense of well-being when you get older. Everyone over 40 years old would be wise to investigate it because it increases your quality of life.

Mark my words, in 10 years it will be available over the counter.”

People travel to places like Mexico or South America to purchase the synthetic version legally or find those few doctors willing to prescribe it because its effects on the body are rather profound.

There is an overwhelming consensus in the bodybuilding community that HGH is great for a chiseled, ripped and shredded look.

Doctors will prescribe this hormone to individuals who have certain difficulties that meet the test of when it can be administered, some purchase it on the black market, and others buy supplements that stimulate the body to produce its own.

Human growth hormone, or HGH, GH, rHGH, or somatotropin is made in the body’s pituitary glands and is made up of 191 amino acid chains for the purpose of aiding the body in maturity and cellular renewal, creating tissues, bones, muscles, etc.

As we age, HGH shifts to a role where it maintains our immune systems, muscle mass, skin elasticity, and overall metabolism. Increasing the HGH levels enables the body to maintain high levels of energy, boosted immunity, and increases fitness levels well past the time when the body is scheduled to slow down.

How the Body Produces and Uses HGH

There are multiple schedules and regimens that people use when cycling or using HGH. One approach used by many bodybuilders looking to get a ripped and shredded look involves cutting calories in such a way as to produce HGH.

We have discussed earlier why cutting calories and lowering insulin levels actually helps you to produce more HGH.

One method purported to work by some fitness enthusiasts involves a low calorie dinner, waiting 2 hours, hitting a short but hard workout with chest, arms, and squats and then going to sleep an hour after that.

strategy

Why this method actually works, is that this creates a lowered insulin supply which in turn triggers the body’s evolutionary survival mechanisms. When you have a low calorie dinner your insulin levels are kept low, the strenuous workout lowers them even more, and then when you go to sleep without having taken a protein supplement or eating anything else the body also starts to produce IGF-1 in the liver.

The body will protect the active muscles (those being worked out) and increases HGH and IGF-1, thus stimulating the muscle building by HGH naturally.

Regardless of the fact, that you go to sleep without a protein supplement or post workout meal, the body will ensure that your worked out muscles don’t go wasted. This also leads to cutting fat and gives you that chiseled lean look.

Obviously, you will need to fulfill your calorie and insulin needs from other meals during other parts of the day.

Supplements

Genf20 Plus and HyperGH 14X are the supplements which assist the body in its natural production of the Growth hormone and may increase its levels in the body dramatically. The supplements should be taken at breakfast, lunch and evening if using the above strategy and will trigger the various mechanisms within the body that will trigger HGH production.

HGH was previously available only in injectable form. Today it is offered using HGH boosting sub-lingual sprays, as well as, HGH secretagogue pills. GH supplement users have reported higher than average levels of energy and increased strength, as well as, increased cardiac activity, lower BP and cholesterol levels.

Bodybuilding with HGH

HGH treatment has become very popular in the bodybuilder community due to its multiple benefits to both body, growth, and overall state of increased health. Statistics on use have it anywhere from 70-80% percent of the pro bodybuilding and bulking communities use HGH or supplements while weightlifting, weight training, and cross fitness regimens.

Because it does not show up on urine tests like anabolic steroids it is probably even more widely used, especially in the pro athlete circuits. Increased strength, mass, endurance, coupled with weight loss and better looking hair, skin, and nails can be pretty appealing to most people. It’s also why women take this supplement, as well.

The side effects are not extreme, contrary to the rumors and happen mostly out of poor knowledge and for many it seems a safer solution to steroids which oftentimes can cause emotional outbursts and have profound effects on the liver and other adrenals.

How HGH Increases Muscle Mass

There are two main theories on why HGH works:

Dual Effector Theory states that Growth Hormone directly impacts the body tissues when injected into the body. This was evidenced by researchers who had injected it into lab mice. The mice ended up larger than those who had more of insulin-like growth factor-1 and those of the control group.

Somatomedin Hypothesis is another theory that GH is only effective due to its assistance in releasing IGF-1 as it passes through the liver and other supporting periphery tissues. It is IGF-1 which then travels into the blood supply and works as an endocrine growth factor in target muscle tissues.

Moreover, some research has shown that when comparing GH versus IGF-1 supplements, that close to 50 times the amount of IGF-1 is necessary to achieve the same results as GH on the body.

Given that the two theories contradict each other to an extent, research has been conducted in both with some level of evidence supporting each. From the “field”, ie users of supplements, a combination of increasing/stimulating the two seems to have the greatest effect.

This makes sense for these reasons:

IGF-1 is required for GH to have an impact on bone and tissue formation, since it is IGF-1 which is what travels to your bones, muscles, and organs.

GH binds the IGFBP-3 and subunit proteins, thus maintaining IGF-1 levels and enabling the proteins to be broken down and carried to the appropriate tissues.

GH is necessary for IGF-1 to have an active effect on the autocrine and paracrine levels in cells (that reply on signalling from hormone levels).

Most of those who study this in the bodybuilding community have come to a consensus that IGF-1’s impact on muscle growth is due to its capacity for localization as the IGF-1 released by our livers is different than that which is produced by our muscle tissues.
So what does this mean for you?
It means that increasing GH in the body and increasing IGF-1 too will help to build muscle mass and stimulate cellular renewal.

That’s why HGH supplements that focus on both HGH and IGF-1 would be best in releasing HGH naturally and boosting muscle growth.

Natural Method or Injections?

This is another highly contentious area of discussion within the bodybuilding community, whether or not to use supplements which increase our body’s production of HGH or to use a synthetic injectable.

When the synthetics began to show up through a few select doctors who could prescribe them for their patients (and themselves) the supplement industry was quick to produce natural supplements.

However, these supplements don’t contain actual HGH, but purpose to increase the body’s natural production. Based on reception there have been some products on the market which have been able to increase HGH levels within the body exponentially.

Furthermore there have been studies that showed that by doses of 1200 mg each of L-lysine and L-Arginine will increase the levels of HGH in the body. Other products since that time have been tested with some promising results using other amino acid combinations and peptides that will also increase and enhance HGH production.

Now, will this work at the same level of a synthetic? Not so far. There are many reasons for this, but such is the way of shortcuts. You gain quick access to your desire and then pay for it in other ways, such as side effects which can be detrimental to your long-term health. Synthetic substances like injections always seem to work in the short term but don’t pan out over time.

Supplements are a safer alternative to injecting synthetic HGH into the body, and they are also easier to come by. You don’t need a doctor or to tap into the black market. Recommended supplements by bodybuilders are:

  • HyperGH 14X
  • Genf20 Plus
  • Growth Factor 9
  • Symbiotropin HGH
  • GH MAX

While these are some of the best reviewed it is by no means an extensive list of supplements.

However, based on ingredients list and user reviews, Genf20 Plus and HyperGH 14X lead the race.