Q: I know athletes take human growth hormone to get stronger, but I’ve heard it can be used to reverse the aging process, too. I’ll turn 50 soon. Should I consider it?
A: Some athletes do take HGH as a performance-enhancing drug (though it’s illegal), and some doctors do use it to treat problems like multiple sclerosis and even the effects of old age, like bone loss and muscle-mass loss. But I wouldn’t touch the stuff. As a child and teenager, you produce the hormone naturally to stimulate growth; your body makes less of it when you reach middle age. Although people who inject HGH (that’s the only way to get it into your system) do see positive results such as strength gains and loss of fat, they may also run a higher risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. It’s cheaper and safer to keep your muscle mass up and body fat down through exercise and a proper diet that’s low in refined sugars and high in fruits and vegetables.
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Email your questions for Dr. Bob Arnot to dr.bob@mensjournal.com.
This article originally appeared in the November 2009 issue of Men’s Journal.
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November 17th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Before considering something like this, I suggest a safer alternative such as probiotics. I take the the Vidazorb OPC anti-aging plus I just use natural olive oil as a moisturizer and love this rather than subjecting myself to dangerous chemicals or procedures. I prefer the natural approach and have read that probiotics can help, hope this helps!
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November 19th, 2009 at 11:12 am
its pretty scary but i really want to keep my muscles up(if i have on..)
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