Is Human Growth Hormone the Key to Eternal Youth?

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=is-human-growth-hormone-t&print=true

SUMMARY:
Many people go to great lengths, spending excessive amounts of money on drugs, cremes, and even surgeries, to keep themselves looking young. One of the most popular methods for anti-aging is the human growth hormone, GH. GH is a protein naturally produced by the pituitary gland that helps regulate growth during childhood and metabolism in adults. Unfortunately, a new study says that there is zero scientific evidence that GH are any more effective at regaining youth than tap water or snake oil. Not only that, but its also been found, by researchers, that if GH is taken by healthy adults, it can cause unhealthy side effects. Examples of these side effects include: joint pain, soft tissue swelling, carpal tunnel syndrome, increased breast size in men, and a heightened risk of diabetes and pre-diabetes.

Hau Liu, a researcher in endocrinology and health policy at Stanford University says, Growth hormones cost hundreds to thousands of dollars a month and there is no scientific evidence supporting it and very real, potentially serious side effects." Liu's team reviewed studies of senior citizens using GH. The best they found, was that GH increased lean body or muscle mass just over four pounds, and decreased fat mass by about the same amount. Liu said that these changes did not add any benefits. There was no improvement in longevity, bone density, cholesterol levels, stamina or blood sugar levels. Liu mentioned that you might get that change easily by going to the gym regularly, and you wouldn't have to spend thousands of dollars on a drug that shows no benefits and has potential of some very serious side effects.

The FDA has approved the drug, only to treat children with short stature caused by growth hormone deficiency and some diseases and other growth problems, and adults who suffer from a growth hormone deficiency causing conditions like bone loss, high cholesterol and low energy. Although pharmaceutical companies get into trouble with the FDA from marketing GH for uses such as anti-aging, it hasn't begun to stop Internet vendors. Along with the fact that this has not been approved, comes a hefty price tag, and yet in 2004 the number of people in the U.S. that used GH as an anti-aging agent was estimated around 30,000. After researching and reviewing other studies, Liu's advice on increasing our chances of living a long and productive life, without using growth hormones is, "Eat right, exercise often, get enough sleep, and don't smoke."

RESPONSE:

This article was interesting to me because it really shows how much people care about their physical appearance. Our society today is so incredibly focused on the wrong things! From reading this article, I didn't get a single positive effect, or reason, for using the human growth hormone as an anti-aging agent. It talks about the ridiculous costs that is basically worthless, because there are barely any effects that occur from using the GH. If there are effects, they're negative, some even being very serious side effects, and if they are "positive" they have very minimal benefits. It amazes me that people are so consumed with their outward appearance that they're willing to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on drugs they think will make them look and feel younger.