The most recent fad is the human growth hormone or HGH also known as Hypertropin which is claimed to help as an anti-ageing. I have heard of human growth hormone from my child’s paediatrician. One of my son was rather behind in his growth and during one of my discussion with the paed, he told me about the HGH. However, he warned about the implications and told me to be patient as some children grow slower than others. True enough, my child is now catching up with his peers.

So, don’t always believe everything you read. Hear what BBC has to say about this human growth hormone.

What is human growth hormone?

Growth hormone is a powerful anabolic hormone that occurs naturally in the human body. It is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain and stimulates the growth of muscle, cartilage, and bone.

It is made throughout a person’s lifetime but is more plentiful during youth. It stimulates growth in children and plays an important role in adult metabolism.

and here are the reasons why one shouldn’t be too gungho about this human growth hormone :

What are the potential side-effects?

Excess HGH in the body can cause acromegaly, a disease where the hands become spade-like in appearance as they get bigger. Growth of the facial bones causes the face to change shape too.

The jaw becomes larger, with spaces appearing between the teeth because of this, and the eyebrows become more prominent. The tongue enlarges and the skin becomes coarse and oily.

Organs like the heart, liver and kidneys will also undergo excessive growth, leading to potentially life-threatening problems – one of which is cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle.

The heart loses its ability to pump blood and, in some instances, heart rhythm is disturbed, leading to irregular heartbeats

There is also an increased risk of cancers due to the abnormal growth of cells.

(thanks to BBC for the helpful information. Link can be found here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/3101343.stm)