By David Blyweiss, M.D.

There has been much debate over whether we should use secretagogues to stimulate the pituitary gland or whether we should supplement with HGH.

Is aging inevitable? For years, anti-aging clinics have claimed to help patients feel younger by simply replacing the hormones that normally decline with age. And it has become big business. People with more money than sense have flocked to these clinics for daily or weekly shots of human growth hormone (HGH) and testosterone. They’ve spent thousands on bio-identical hormone supplements like DHEA. The problem with these high-priced tactics is that there is no proof that replacing hormones really helps to keep you young. And it may even cause harm. So why do people take the risk?

Hormone Replacement

In part, it is our never-ending quest to turn back the clock. Studies suggest that declining levels of HGH are linked to the weight gain that typically accompanies aging.

Replacing HGH in people who are deficient in growth hormone may significantly increase exercise capacity, isometric muscle strength, blood pressure and resting heart rate. HGH can also improve bone density, muscle mass and skin elasticity. But there is a price to be paid for these youthful changes.

Side Effects Can Include:

• Excessive bone growth
• Carpel tunnel syndrome
• Fluid retention.
• Heart enlargement
• Diabetes

Do the benefits offset the risks? I don’t think so.

Secretagogues

A much safer—and cheaper—way to stay vibrant and youthful is to encourage your own body to make more of these hormones. And the best way to do that is with secretagogues—certain amino acids that stimulate growth hormone. Long-term use of these HGH-precursors can improve your growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) levels 25 to 40 percent. IGF-1 is the chemical in our bodies used to measure HGH levels.

Study after study show that a combination of essential amino acids like L-arginine, L-orthinine, L-glutamine and L-carnitine can trigger the body’s production of both HGH and testosterone. According to a newly published trial of healthy men by researchers at the University of Connecticut, those who took these essential amino acids before exercising experienced significant gains in lean body mass and strength then the men who didn’t. When the researchers examined hormone levels in the men, they found that those in the amino acid group had higher levels of both testosterone and HGH. Plus, their levels of the stress hormone cortisol was markedly lower.

Melatonin

Melatonin is another important hormone in anti-aging medicine. Many studies have found that melatonin improves immunity, extends lifespan and helps alleviate stress, depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder and jet lag. It may also benefit Alzheimer’s disease. Melatonin’s primary use, however, is to regulate sleep cycles. Unfortunately, there is no way to measure melatonin levels, but this is a relatively safe hormone and the only side effect my patients have experienced are bad dreams.

Essential Fatty Acids

Another way to support your natural hormone levels is with essential fatty acids. Adding a combination of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is critical because they support hormone production and help keep blood tricylcerides and inflammation in check. But we often get more omega-6’s than we need. A ratio of 4:1 is ideal—and the best way to achieve this balance is to first restrict the amount of vegetable oil you consume (the primary source of omega-6s in our diet) and then take 2,000 to 4,000 mg. of supplemental fish oil each day.

Natural Pituitary Gland Stimulation

I have found that the specific secretagogues I mentioned, combined with beneficial levels of melatonin and essential fatty acids, can stimulate the pituitary gland to release your body’s own supply of HGH—without the side effects common to hormone injections.

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References:

Ahmad AM, et al. Body composition and quality of life in adults with growth hormone deficiency; effects of low-dose growth hormone replacement. Clinical Endocrinology. 2001;54:709-717.

Kraemer WJ, et al. Effects of amino acids supplement on physiological adaptations to resistance training. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2009;41:1111-1121.

Lanfranco F, et al. Ageing, growth hormone and physical performance. Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. 2003;26:861-872.

Poeggeler B. Melatonin, aging, and age-related diseases: perspectives for prevention, intervention, and therapy. Endocrine. 2005;27:201-212