Growth hormone (GH), sometimes described as as Human growth hormone (HGH)plays a mighty role in the growth of your body, recovers and remains slim. While it is best known to help children grow bigger, GH is still of essential importance in adulthood.
In the world of health and fitness, GH is often associated with sporting performance and anti-aging. Before extreme interventions are thinking, it is important to understand how Your body of course produces GHWhich factors improve or suppress it and which characters can indicate an imbalance.
This article collapses:
- What is gh and what it does
- Why it is important for fitness, fat loss and muscle preparation
- How to increase GH values
in a natural way - What you should know about GH Hungry weights and tests
Supported with scientific research and written for both specialists and health -conscious readers and helps you to make well -founded decisions about your hormones and health.
What is growth hormone?
Growth hormone (GH)also known as as SomatotinIs a protein-based peptide hormone secreted Hypophysis. It plays an important role in Growth, tissue repair, body composition, metabolism and physical performance.
GH is particularly active during:
- Childhood and youth (for size and bone growth)
- Sleep and movement (for the repair of tissue and metabolic regulation)
- Relaxation of injuries or intensive physical exertion
It works synergistically with other hormones like Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)Present testosteroneAnd Thyroid hormones To regulate anabolic processes in the body.
Key functions of growth hormone
1. Stimulates muscle growth and repair
GH promotes Protein synthesis and stimulated IGF-1Improvement of the body’s ability to Build slim muscle mass and repair fabric – critically for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
2. Increases the fat metabolism
Growth hormone mobilizes fat transactions (especially visceral fat) by stimulating Lipolysis– The fat lock for energy. It improves Body composition Without lean tissue to influence (Ho et al., 1989).
3. Supports bone density and growth
GH plays a central role in the increase Bone mineral densityEspecially during youth. It also helps calcium Retention And reinforces the bone strength in adults (Mazziotti et al., 2006).
4. Recent recovery and healing
It accelerates the repair of the tissue repair after the injury or after training with high intensity, especially during slow sleep (Deep sleep) when the GH secretion reaches its peak (Van Cauter et al., 2000).
5. Regulates the metabolism and blood sugar
GH affects Glucose metabolismIn the short term, blood sugar increases by reducing insulin sensitivity. Long-term, balanced GH values
When and how GH is published
Growth hormone is released in Pulsatile outbreaksespecially during:
- Deep sleep (approx. 60–90 minutes after falling asleep)
- Intensive exercise (in particular resistance training and HIIT)
- Fasting or calorie restriction
GH secretion decreases with age, especially after the age of 30, but lifestyle factors can Optimize the natural GH production.
Signs of imbalance of the growth hormone
GH deficiency (adults)
- Reduced muscle mass and strength
- Increased belly fat
- Fatigue and bad recovery
- Insulin resistance
- Reduced bone density
- Low mood or poor concentration
Excess GH (e.g. acromegaly)
- Enlarged hands/feet/facial bones
- Joint pain, thickened skin
- Cardiovascular burden
- Sleep apnea
- Headache or visual problems (due to pituitary tumor)
Always contact an endocrinologist if you earn hormonal imbalances.
How to strengthen the growth hormone in a natural way
1. Prioritize deep sleep
Most GHs are during during Level 3 (slow) sleep. To optimize this:
- Sleep 7-9 hours a night
- Keep the consistent bed/alarm times
- Avoid screens 60 minutes before going to bed
2. Train with intensity
Exercise is a strong trigger for GH:
- Resistance training ((composite elevators6–12 repetitions)
- HIIT and sprints (30–60 seconds intervals)
- Avoid exaggeration, which exposes the GH release
A study showed that gh increases around Up to 500% after trainingEspecially with untrained individuals (Godfrey et al., 2003).
3. Try intermittent fasting
Fasting from 16 to 24 hours can significantly increase the GH values. This answer is increased by:
- Lower insulin
- Increased ghrelin (the GH secretion supports)
4. Stop healthy body fat levels
Obesity is connected suppressed GH secretionin particular Visceral fat (Björntorp, 1991). If you even lose 5–10% of body weight, you can normalize GH rhythms.
5. Avoid recording with a high sugar before going to bed
Spikes in insulin can suppress the GH release. Avoiding refined carbohydrates on the late night can improve overnight Hormonal balance.
Growth hormone and fitness performance
Athletes and bodybuilders often explore gh for theirs Anabolic potentialBut Exogenous GH use is prohibited in professional sport and bears risks like:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Water pension
- Joint and muscle pain
- Glucose intolerance
Instead, the focus should be on it Improvement of natural GH production through intelligent training, recovery and nutrition.
GH tests and clinical use
Growth hormone tests Usually included:
- IGF-1 blood mirror (Stable marker of GH production)
- GH stimulation tests using insulin or arginine (if the defect is suspected)
Clinical GH therapy is reserved for:
- Pediatric growth failure
- GH deficiency in adults due to pituitary problems
- AIDS-related muscle waste
It is Not recommended for general anti-aging or sporting improvementUnless you under strict medical supervision.
Diploma
Growth hormone is one of the Most influential hormones For muscle growth, fat metabolism, relaxation and total vitality. While synthetic GH is used in medical scenarios, most people can Maximize the natural GH values through:
- Deep sleep
- Intensive, consistent training
- Strategic fasting
- Clean nutrition and stress reduction
Understanding GH enables you to make better decisions in your training and recovery and to improve your body composition and long -term health.
References
- E. van Cauter, R. Leproult & L. Plat (2000). Age-related changes in sleep and rem sleep with slow waves and relationship with growth hormone and cortisol in healthy men. Jama.
- Godfrey, RJ, Madgwick, Z. & Whyte, GP (2003). The growth hormone reaction in athletes caused by movement. Sports medicine.
- Ho, Ky, et al. (1989). Fasting improves the secretion of the growth hormone and strengthens the complex rhythms of growth hormone secretion in humans. J Clin Invest.
- Mazziiotti, G., et al. (2006). Growth hormone, IGF-1 and bones: Pathophysiological and clinical aspects. Bone.
- Björntorp, P. (1991). Metabolic implications of body fat distribution. Diabetes care.
