Evidence is piling up that recombinant human growth hormone (HGH) has many more health benefits than simply improving athletic performance and body composition.
HGH is the main therapeutic choice for treating growth hormone deficiency (GHD) but the medication can also boost recovery from wounds by stimulating cell division.
Because of that, patients with GHD can use their legal HGH prescriptions to aid their rehabilitation process after injuries and surgeries. If you take a legally prescribed growth hormone, your doctor can modify your dosage to safely speed up recovery.
In this article, we will go over the various conditions where HGH therapy can boost healing. Besides, we will discuss the optimal HGH dosage for injury recovery and the risk of side effects.
Is HGH Good for Injury Recovery?
HGH can speed up recovery after different injuries because it affects cell division. The production of new cells is a key element in the process of healing.
The phase is also called cell proliferation and it plays a central role in the recovery of almost every tissue after trauma. Thus, we can say that HGH therapy can improve injury recovery at a cellular level. The exact mechanism through which growth hormone boosts cell proliferation has been widely investigated by scientists.
According to researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago, the growth hormone triggers a gene called Foxm1 which stimulates cell proliferation and tissue recovery. Their study was conducted in old mice with liver injury. GH stimulated the Foxm1b gene expression and liver repair up to rates seen in young mice.
The scientists suggest that the use of HGH for injury recovery might be an effective strategy in counteracting the age-related slowdown of wound healing. Furthermore, growth hormone therapy might have the potential to speed up injury recovery in every tissue where cell proliferation plays a key role in the process.
Does HGH Help to Recover After Surgery?
The postoperative period after a major surgery often involves a prolonged stay in bed, impaired mobility, and fatigue. Whilst HGH might speed up the healing of the surgical wound, the anticatabolic effects of the growth hormone towards muscle might improve recovery after such procedures as well.
There was a study on 216 patients each of whom underwent a moderate or major surgery. Only half of the patients received HGH while the rest were a control group. Compared to controls, the patients who were given HGH after surgery preserved more of their lean body mass. Furthermore, the scientists reported that the treatment group had less postoperative fatigue and a lower risk of postoperative infection due to improved immune defenses.
Recombinant growth hormones might preserve both size and strength of muscles after surgeries. One study investigated the effects of growth hormone after knee surgery, where muscle weakness of the quadriceps is a common burden in the postoperative period. GH therapy preserved muscle strength and reduced muscle loss in the quadriceps which allowed the patients for faster recovery.
Does HGH Help Repair Tendons?
Tendon and ligament injuries are common amongst both athletes and older adults. The traumas are often followed by a slow and painful healing process. However, HGH might provide quicker relief according to some trials.
A key role in this process is played by the insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1). The growth hormone stimulates its synthesis by the liver. IGF-1 is a hormone that mediates most of HGH’s anabolic effects. According to studies in mice, IGF-1 also plays a key role in tendon growth and remodeling.
Other studies in mice also suggest that IGF might accelerate tendon healing after injury. The mice who were given the growth factor had lower levels of inflammation and restored their normal physical functions faster.
Small human studies have reported that HGH can also increase the formation of collagen in human tendons. This suggests that GH might play a crucial role in tendon repair and healing. However, there are still no clinical trials in humans to confirm its effectiveness.
Does HGH Help to Heal Wounds?
Thanks to the growth hormone’s effects on cell proliferation, it has been widely investigated as a remedy to speed up wound healing. Many human studies have been performed and the results are exceptional.
One study in 46 children with severe skin burns compared the effect of growth hormone therapy to placebo. HGH accelerated burn wounds healing and skin repair leading to 25% quicker recovery. According to scientists, HGH therapy can significantly shorten the total length of hospital stay for patients with wounds and burns.
Another study revealed that GH therapy can increase survivability in patients with severe wounds. Patients receiving growth hormone in addition to their therapy had 11% lower mortality when compared to controls who received only standard therapy.
Can HGH Help in Nerve Regeneration?
Nerve damage is often irreversible due to the limited regeneration ability of neurons. However, recent studies have investigated the effectiveness of the growth hormone as a possible therapy after such injuries.
A study in people with complete spinal injuries revealed that growth hormone deficiency is very common amongst these patients. The patients in the HGH group also regained some of the perceptions they lost right below the level of the injury after 6 months of therapy. Such improvements were not seen in the group receiving a placebo.
Growth hormone might help nerve damage in the brain as well, even though the current evidence is coming from animal studies alone
One study treated mice with stroke using either growth hormone or placebo. The mice treated with GH lost less brain tissue than non-GH-treated ones. Furthermore, the treatment group also restored some of their cognitive abilities much faster.
Does HGH Help with Arthritis?
Growth hormone and the related growth factors are currently investigated for their anabolic and anticatabolic effects on cartilage. The effect of HGH on the tissue is not mediated directly, but once again via the growth factor IGF-1.
IGF has been tested in animal and in vitro studies for its ability to enhance the healing of cartilage and reverse arthritis. Currently, the laboratory research looks promising and clinical trials will follow.
One of the most notable animal studies was in rats with induced growth hormone deficiency and IGF deficiency. The animals which were not treated with GH therapy had significantly higher incidence and severity of osteoarthritis in their knee joints. The researchers suggested that using HGH for arthritis symptoms might be specifically effective in patients with GHD.
What is the Recommended Dosage of HGH for Recovery?
Studies have demonstrated that GH therapy at doses of 0.2 mg/kg (0.6 IU/kg) daily speeds up healing in children. However, such large doses can lead to serious side effects in adults considering their significantly bigger bodyweight.
It is not recommended for adults to exceed doses of 3-5 mg (9-15 IU) per day
Furthermore, large doses should not be taken for longer than 2-3 weeks due to the high risk of adverse effects. Make sure to check in with your doctor before you make changes to your HGH dose to improve injury recovery. Common side effects include headache, water retention, carpal tunnel syndrome, and diabetes.
Smaller doses such as 0.1 mg/kg/day have been shown to be effective and speed up healing in just 6 days of therapy. The hormone reduces protein and energy losses while simultaneously increases fat mobilization. You can also expect improved organ and immune function.
Currently, there is no evidence to recommend that HGH dose should be increased prior to the surgery to provide further benefits for recovery. Instead, increasing the dosage in the postoperative period for 1-3 weeks is a safe and effective strategy.
The Takeaway
Overall, the research suggests that HGH can accelerate the healing and recovery after a wide range of injuries such as tendon damage, arthritis, surgeries, wounds, burns, and even spinal or brain damage.
HGH is safe and effective only when legally prescribed by a doctor, who can monitor the patient’s condition and control the risk of side-effects
You can get HGH prescribed legally at Best HGH Doctors and Clinics. Our experienced physicians will carefully monitor your therapy and manage the dosage. We will ensure that you get maximum benefits with minimum adverse effects.