Growth Hormone’s role after men are finished growing is to build muscle and burn fat, as well as keep the production of muscle and bone normal as it is in young men.
The answer to our title question is generally “ no” for men on Bio-Identical Testosterone Pellets. The reason men on T Pellets don’t usually need Growth Hormone stimulation is because pellet Testosterone stimulates the production of Growth Hormone, and I see IGF-1, the lab test for growth hormone, increase by 30-50 ng/ml every 6 months for the first 1-2 years a man begins testosterone pellets. This fact offers a “Two-Fer”, or a Two-For-The Price of One when men take Testosterone in Pellet form.
Growth Hormone’s role after men are finished growing, is to build muscle and burn fat as well as keep the production of muscle and bone normal as it is in young men. Growth Hormone begins to decrease parallel with the fall in testosterone. GH begins its descent in men’s thirties and continues to fall until they die, unless a man has his testosterone replaced with pellets, or if he is treated with Growth Hormone replacement, or if he wants to avoid these treatments he can use several natural methods to increase growth hormone production.
Natural Growth hormone stimulation takes the form of increasing the nutritional factors that stimulate growth hormone, increase exercise, which also increases growth hormone production, and to avoid the foods and habits that decrease growth hormone.
Growth Hormone Stimulators:
- L arginine and ornithine (amino acids)
- Vitamin D
- DHEA
- Any supplement that increases L-Dopa
- Estradiol
- Testosterone Pellets
Growth Hormone Inhibitors that should be avoided:
- Carbohydrates and Fats in the Diet
- Glucocorticoids (also called “steroids”) like Cortisol
- Obesity and fat gain
- Sedentary Life Style
- Tomoxifen (drug for breast cancer)
- Anastrazole without testosterone replacement—it is not an inhibitor if used carefully with testosterone pellets.
If the natural methods don’t result in an increase of growth hormone (measured by IGF-1), then we turn to the “secretagogues”, which are medications that stimulate GH production and can be taken without the side effects and the extreme cost of subcutaneous shot of recombinant Growth Hormone replacement.
Secretagoguses method of action involves stimulating or acting as a Growth Hormone Releasing Factor (GHRF) from the hypothalamus. GHRF then stimulates the pituitary into action and increases Growth Hormone production.
The advantage of the secretagogues over replacing GH is that the secretagogues over ride the feedback system that reflexively suppress GH production when the dose is increased. Simply said, taking shots of growth hormone suppress our own production of the hormone, and secretagogues stimulate the production of GH.
The cost of secretagogues is a fraction of that of recombinant GH. Sublingual (under the tongue delivery system) is compounded by Belmar pharmacy at $150/ month vs an equal dose of subcutaneous recombinant GH which is $1,500/month.
This healthcast should give you the information you need to have a conversation with your physician about your levels of Human Growth Hormone and about your options for rejuvenating your bodies natural processes that are dependent on Human Growth Hormone.
This Health cast was written and presented by Dr. Kathy Maupin, M.D., Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Expert and Author, with Brett Newcomb, MA., LPC., Family Counselor, Presenter and Author. www.BioBalanceHealth.com.
