Growth hormones: When growth hormone binds to its receptor, shown here (top), it activates a number of cellular pathways involved in growth and metabolism. When people have a nonfunctional version of the receptor--inactivating mutations are shown here in dark blue--they develop Laron syndrome, a type of dwarfism. Valter Longo, a biologist who studies aging at the University of Southern California, is pictured (bottom) with a person with Laron dwarfism. Longo plans to study how this mutation affects life span and the diseases of aging.
T. Blundell & N. Campillo, Wellcome Images (top), Valter Longo (bottom)
A small population of dwarves in rural Ecuador could hold the answer.
Growth hormone holds a conflicted status in the world of life extension. Some believe it turns back the clock, with evidence from humans suggesting that hormone treatment reduces fat and boosts muscle. But animal studies show the opposite: mice without growth hormone live significantly longer and are protected against cancer, one of the most deadly diseases of aging.
Valter Longo, a scientist at the University of Southern California, in Los Angeles, hopes to untangle this conundrum by studying an unusual group of people in Ecuador: those with a genetic mutation that renders them insensitive to growth hormone. "They are the largest population in the world that is growth-hormone deficient," says Longo. Studies of the group could provide a valuable window into whether growth-hormone depletion could, in fact, be used to extend longevity. The study could also shed light on how to develop drugs against the diseases of aging without introducing unintended side effects.
Growth hormone is a crucial protein produced by the pituitary that directs growth and cell division. People who lack the hormone or the ability to respond to it are extremely short, while those whose hormone levels dip in middle age, such as after damage to the pituitary, have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In mice, however, deficiency of the hormone seems to be beneficial. "In the mouse, the effect is major and striking," says Andrzej Bartke, a biologist at Southern Illinois University in Springfield, who is not involved in the project. "They seem protected from cancer and appear to have delayed aging by various measures. But there is almost no evidence that growth-hormone deficiency would extend life in humans."
The group Longo plans to study lives in the rural Loja province in the southern portion of Ecuador. These isolated mountain communities have a high rate of an otherwise rare condition known as Laron dwarfism. People with the condition lack a functioning version of the receptor that binds to growth hormone.They are small and obese, but little data exists on their longevity.
Children with the condition seem more susceptible to pneumonia and diarrhea, common scourges of poor rural communities, and they die at twice the rate of their unaffected siblings. Those who survive to adulthood typically have high cholesterol and triglycerides, risk factors for heart disease. Some die of heart disease, an uncommon occurrence in rural Ecuador, but preliminary reports suggest that Laron dwarves are protected from artherosclerosis, arterial hardening that can lead to heart attack. Adding to the puzzle is anecdotal evidence suggesting that they don't get cancer or type 2 diabetes. "It's a balance: if you turn down risk of cancer, you might turn up risk of heart disease," says Steven N. Austad, a biologist at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, in San Antonio, who is not involved in the project.
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I use the Dr. Max Powers HGH Spray - It works perfectly - just a warning that it takes about 5-7 days to really feel the effects (with the best effects coming on at about the 3 week and beyond). I found that the product works wonders with only 2 sprays twice per day (morning and evening) on a 12 week cycle (1-2 weeks off after this to allow your body to rebound and rest a little) - but your mileage may vary. ;o)
Personally, I do very intense weight training 3 times per week (Chest/Biceps, Back/Triceps, Legs/Shoulders - combined with cardio) and this has helped immensely in gaining strength in both concentric and eccentric lifts, over muscle growth (hypertrophy), and fast loss (works wonders for this). It also has many other good effects like increased vitality, increased skin elasticity and "glow", increased mental concentration, increased sex drive, etc. etc. - all the things we associate with "Youth". Basically, this product as close to real prescribed hGH that you can buy without a prescription.
I have tried other HGH sprays - not crazy about them, but i recommend the Dr. Max Powers . . you can find them at www.drmaxpowers.com
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Veronica_H
3 Comments
Types, Timing , & Amount make the differences between benificial and harmful.
Besides the differences in types, timing and amount also make significant differences of whether growth hormone will harm a person or benifit him or her. Also, human are very different from mice. For mice, growth hormone leads to reproduction--Because mice are at the bottom of the food-chain, their lifespan, comparing with preditors such as human, are much shorter. In order for mice as a specie to survive, mice need to reach maturity as fast as possible (for reproduction), which is not the case for human. Lacking growth hormone makes mice grow slower towards reproduction and therefore makes them live longer--that is growth hormone makes the specie of mice have a greater chance of survive, and lacking it, although extend one mice's life, it reduce the overall surviving rate. It is the opposite of human. Human are preditors, and human need growth hormone to grow from weak (infancy) to strong (adult) in order to max the overall surviving rate. It is a disadvantage for human not getting enough growth hormone during childhood because it reduce the person's overall fitness--reducing his or her chance to pass on one's genes. Same for mice. If a mice is not mature as quick as possible and reproduce and then die to make room for its large offsprings, the mice is not likely to pass on its genes. Thus, the function of growth hormone is the same for any living beings if they are fit to survie. However, because different species has a different role in nature, growth hormone leads to different results--to die fast or to live long.
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rajnz
25 Comments
Re: Types, Timing , & Amount make the differences between benificial and harmful.
As we age our levels of hormones drop. It has been found in short term studies on humans that giving growth hormones (by injection it cannot be taken orally as it is destroyed by the stomach acids) that more youthful appearances resulted, fat was reduced and muscle increased. There was a chinese doctor practising in Florida, who argued that if the hormone was given in small quantities through the day, so that hormone levels were kept well below the average levels of a teenager, this resulted in continuous health benefits and effectively reduced the ages of his "patients" by a couple of decades in a very short time.
Now his patients must be well over 10 years into his treatment. I wonder if there is any data on its long-term effects. Does anyone have any knowledge about this?
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