In children, growth hormone activates normal body growth and development. It builds tissue and aids the growth of muscle, bone, and cartilage. It makes protein in the muscle cells and releases energy from the breakdown of fats. Growth will be delayed by lack of growth hormone. When this occurs, growth hormone is given as a replacement therapy. This treatment is very expensive, and requires long-term use.

Some athletes want to increase their strength. Body builders and other athletes may inject growth hormone to decrease body fat and increase muscle mass. Fat burning is increased and glucose burning is decreased. The result is muscle bulk and strength.

Athletes have been known to take up to 20 times the proper dosage. It is dangerous for anyone to inject growth hormone unless under the supervision of a paediatrician for rare childhood diseases.

Abuse of the growth hormone yields serious side effects, some irreversible. These side effects include:

It is medically unsafe and unethical to use human growth hormone for athletic gains and the practice is banned by the International Olympic Committee.

There are other preparations being sold to body builders and individuals seeking anti-ageing preparations as growth hormone supplements. As the only form of growth hormone used medically is in an injectable form, these preparations, which may or may not contain growth hormone or growth hormone "enhancers" in an oral or spray form, are not able to be absorbed into the body.

Article #7533

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