Many people have embraced human growth hormone (HGH) due to its ability to burn body fat, slow aging and prevent hair loss, among other benefits. But to athletes, HGH is useful in that it improves performance. It is said to help in boosting the capacity to exercise. But does this claim really hold water
Professional Athletes’ Desire
While many people were still oblivious of it, a good number of athletes and sportsmen had been aware of the ability of human growth hormone to give their performance levels a significant boost. Demand for HGH by this group is high – at about the same level as that for steroids. Athletes and bodybuilders love to use HGH because it helps to build lean muscle mass while also promoting quick recovery from injuries and muscle fatigue. This sets HGH apart from steroids which make users more prone to injuries. It helps to preserve calcium and strengthens the connective tissues thereby protecting against injuries.
Growth hormone delivers greater stamina and strength through its anabolic and anti-catabolic actions. It brings about increase in the number and size of muscle cells and tissues. The hyperplasia caused by the hormone enables a person to be able to perform more strenuous and rigorous exercises. It also prevents muscle protein breakdown which usually occurs after a rigorous exercise, thus enabling you to recover faster from strenuous workouts for more sessions.
For fairness, the use of HGH by sportsmen and athletes has long been banned by many sports organizations. It would have been more widespread in sport circles if not for this, but some athletes still find a way to use growth hormone despite this ban and manage to get away with it, at least for some time. The ban on growth hormone use somewhat invalidates the claim in some circles that it does not improve athletic performance. Jorgen Isgaard observed in a study published in the journal Hormone Research in 2004 that decreased exercise capacity is common in those with low HGH levels.
How HGH Improves Exercise Capacity
Human growth hormone indirectly improves endurance for exercise through its effect on the protein insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). It stimulates the liver to release IGF-1, which plays a vital role in the growth of muscles and organs, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). It is also said to cause bone growth. IGF-1 produces an anabolic effect, binding to receptors on muscle cells and stimulating them to increase in both number and size. A fine balance of HGH in the body helps to keep muscle mass and body fat in perfect equilibrium to prevent issues.
IGF-1 is also known to enhance protein synthesis in muscle cells. This greatly helps to reduce breakdown of muscle cells and promote faster muscle healing after intense workout sessions. In a 1988 study published in the Annals of Surgery, researchers observed that HGH produced anabolic effect on protein by burning body fat and boosting HGH and IGF-1 levels during hypocaloric parenteral nutrition.
HGH Offers Many Benefits
The fact that growth hormone improves exercise capacity brings other benefits along with it. Exercise is generally recommended for people to stay in shape and in good health. While HGH can enhance your ability to exercise, the reverse is also true. The increased exercise capacity brought about by growth hormone leads to higher levels of the same. Exercise is one of two major factors that help to stimulate the production and release of HGH – the other being sleep. It influences the release of the hormone through diverse means, including lactic and nitric oxide, neural input and acid-base balance modifications.
There are numerous other benefits you can enjoy from having sufficient HGH level in your body. It can help to burn off body fat by inhibiting expression of lipoprotein lipase and fast-tracking lipid mobilization. Growth hormone also promotes cardiac health through its effects on heart’s muscle tissue growth and performance. Better sleep, aging process slowdown and enhanced mental capacity are few of the other benefits of HGH.
The level of human growth hormone, which is naturally produced by the pituitary gland, usually drop with age and this can impact negatively on your exercise capacity, among other issues. You can boost your HGH levels by supplementing with injections and releasers. Guidance by a doctor will be helpful if you are thinking about HGH treatment to improve your ability to exercise.
