Production of the drug in this way continued for more than 20 years. That all came to a halt, however, with the horrifying discovery that some of the drug was contaminated, having been extracted from a cadaver infected with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease CJD.
CJD is similar in effects to mad cow disease or accelerated Alzheimer's, causing rapid brain degeneration leading to death within a year of the first symptoms. There is no treatment and no test for CJD, which can lie dormant for decades after exposure before signs of infection appear. The fact that there was no way to test for infection turned the lives of all of those who had been treated in the s and s into a terrifying waiting game.
Patients lived in constant fear of the onset of symptoms. This uncertainty resulted in another strange story when a man who had received HGH as a child plead innocent to charges of murdering his mother, Susan Cabot, B-movie star of films like The Wasp Woman, claiming he was suffering madness due to the effects of CJD.
Following the discovery of the contamination in , the U. As luck would have it, however, a new source for HGH was in the hopper. Biotechnology company Genentech and drug company Eli Lilly had both independently been working on a new way to manufacture HGH using recombinant bacteria. The companies genetically modified bacteria by inserting a gene coding for the production of HGH. This genetic transformation turned the bacteria into little factories to pump out HGH, leading to a limitless source of pure HGH with little risk of contamination.
In our collections we have several examples of Protropin some of which have just been digitized in our online collection. Protropin, and other brands of recombinant HGH not only provided a safe source of HGH for kids with growth disorders, but the increase in supply of HGH meant experimentation with other applications for the hormone.
This hormone can help to speed up healing after an injury and repair muscle tissue after exercise. This helps to build muscle mass, boost metabolism, and burn fat. HGH is also said to benefit the quality and appearance of the skin. However, research supporting these claims is limited. HGH works by stimulating metabolic processes in cells to activate metabolism. It stimulates the liver to make an insulin-like protein that produces cartilage cells. This plays a part in bone and organ growth, as well as muscle protein synthesis.
But what are the risks of taking it? Synthetic hGH is used to treat poor growth in children and adults. Because of these benefits, many people use hGH to enhance their athletic ability. Some people believe hGH has anti-aging effects since natural levels of hGH decrease with age. However, it should be noted that not all of these benefits have been scientifically proven.
The use of hGH for athletic and anti-aging purposes is controversial due to this lack of scientific evidence and its potential side effects. Sometimes, illicit manufacturers offer hGH in an injectable form as well. HGH and substances that promote hGH production are sold online by some companies as dietary supplements, which claim to have the same benefits as the injections. However, research suggests that a child with normal levels of growth hormone, who takes the synthesised version, will not grow any taller than they would have naturally, unless they take very large amounts.
Children who are experiencing stunted or slowed growth should have their natural growth hormone levels checked by medical professionals before they are prescribed any medication for their condition. Adults with growth hormone deficiency which may result from problems with the pituitary gland or hypothalamus may have symptoms including:. Approximately one third of people who use synthetic growth hormone will experience side effects.
These may include:. Acromegaly is a disorder caused by excess levels of growth hormone, most commonly as a result of a tumour in that person's pituitary gland. It causes an irreversible overgrowth of bones, particularly those of the face, hands and feet. The person's skin is also affected and becomes thick, coarse and hairy. Other side effects include high blood pressure and heart disease. If the tumour occurs in childhood, then increased height may occur leading to gigantism.
Long-term use of synthetic growth hormone can also cause acromegaly, but not gigantism. This is because it is impossible for an adult to grow taller using synthetic growth hormone. The ends of the long bones epiphyses in the mature skeleton are fused in adults. High doses of growth hormone can only thicken the person's bones rather than lengthen them. Any increase in muscle size due to use of synthetic growth hormone is actually the result of an increase in connective tissue, which does not contribute to muscle strength.
For this reason, use of synthetic growth hormone does not lead to increase muscle strength. In fact, in the long term, muscle weakness including weakness of the heart can be a result. In the past, growth hormone used to treat people was extracted, at autopsy, from the pituitary glands of people who had died.
In some countries not including Australia , it was discovered that a progressive and incurable disease of the brain called Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease CJD , which results in dementia and death, was in rare cases transmitted by this method. Some dietary supplements that claim to boost levels of HGH come in pill form, but research doesn't show a benefit. Using HGH for a condition that isn't approved, such as building muscle or as an anti-aging treatment in older adults, is illegal.
If you have specific concerns about aging, ask your doctor about proven ways to improve your health. Remember, healthy lifestyle choices — such as eating a healthy diet and including physical activity in your daily routine — can help you feel your best as you get older.
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