The Health | MARCH, 2019
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the messenger molecule that travels to all parts of the
body stimulating cell production and growth.
It is HGH that is responsible for telling our bodies to
grow cells, bones, organs and muscles.
HGH is in plentiful supply until about age 20. Each
decade from than on we lose approximately 20 percent
of our HGH base level.
This means that by the time you are 60 or 70, your
body has access to only 15 to 20 percent of the HGH
you had in your youth.
HGH promotes growth by helping transport amino
acids (the building blocks of protein) between cells and
into cells. Amino acids are used by the body to create
muscles and to build and restore organs, including the
heart and skin.
HGH is key to ageing
The theory of ageing
Neuroendocrine and the theory
of ageing
By DATO DR RAJBANS SINGH
I
n the last decade, there has been a lot of interest
in the role of hormones and aging. The neuro-
endocrine theory suggests that it is the decline
of the nervous and endocrine systems as well
as the lessening of their ability to regulate and
integrate the body’s key activities could be one
of the factors that may contribute to aging.
Decreased hormone levels result in a body wide
imbalance that decreases the immune system, strength,
metabolism and sexual functions. Key hormones such
as thyroxine, oestriol, testosterone, growth hormone,
IGF-1, melatonin, and Dhea decrease as we age and
replacement with physiological doses of bio-identical
hormones may delay the effects of aging and help
someone age better.
In the recent 2nd Malaysian Conference on Healthy
Aging, Dr Ronald Tan, the President of the Healthy
Aging Society of Hong Kong gave the keynote address
on ‘The role of Growth Hormones in Aging’. The data
presented which included some of the latest research
in the world and also his personal experience showed
that there was a role in HGH replacement in aging. In
this article we will discuss the role of HGH and ageing.
What is HGH
HGH is said to be the mother of all hormones. It is
a simple protein hormone released by the pituitary
gland. It enters our bloodstream in bursts during
sleep. It travels to the liver, where it is converted into a
substance called insulin growth factor 1 (IGF1). IGF1 is
As we get older, less HGH is produced (much of
this decline can be attributed to our lifestyles),
reversing the balance of new to old. More cells are
dying than are been produced in every muscle,
organ and part of our bodies. It is no wonder our
body begins to break down. This is why we become
less functional and begin to age.”
Gerontologists now believe that low levels of HGH
may be one of the contributors to ageing, because
this hormone is primarily responsible for growth and
regeneration of every cell in our bodies.
Everyday regardless of our age, millions of cells die
and millions of new cells are produced. When we are
young and growing, the high levels of HGH causes our
bodies to produce more new cells than those that die
off. Our bodies expand in size and look young and fit.
As we get older, less HGH is produced (much of this
decline can be attributed to our lifestyles), reversing
the balance of new to old. More cells are dying than are
been produced in every muscle, organ and part of our
bodies. It is no wonder our body begins to break down.
This is why we become less functional and begin to age.
Indeed, some healthy aging doctors believe that cor-
rect HGH levels are the secret to maintaining youth.
Correct and specifically tailored exercise, diet, medi-
tation and nutritional supplements will all naturally
increase HGH and prolong youth. But from around
50 to 60 years, even those treatments are not enough.
Supplements to age with grace
It is a firm belief of these physicians that to stay young,
many older people should supplement these treatments
by taking HGH directly.
More than 50 years of research and 28,000 different
studies on HGH have been done. The first controlled,
random, double-blind clinical study in this area was
undertaken by Dr Daniel Rudman at the medical college
of Wisconsin and was published in the New England
Journal of Medicine in 1990.
Dr Rudman wrote: “The effects of six months of
human growth hormone on lean body mass and adi-
pose tissue mass were equivalent in magnitude to the
changes incurred during 10 to 20 years of ageing.”
Dr Victor Goh of National University of Singapore
had the same results in Chinese males in Singapore.
As decrease in lean body mass and muscle bulk is
one of the causes of immobility and falls in the elderly
HGH supplementation may improve the quality of life
of elderly patients. In fact, Dr Rudman did not believe
that HGH therapy will make people live longer, but that
it will improve the quality of their life. Stronger bones
and muscles will improve mobility and independence
and mean fewer falls and broken bones.
Who should take HGH
HGH supplementation, similar to replacement therapy
of other hormones, must be done by doctors knowl-
edgeable in this field of medicine.
The FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) in the
US has approved HGH use in adult growth hormone
deficiency syndrome, and the use of HGH in deficient
adults was approved in Malaysia two years ago.
The doctors involved in this field agree that using
physiological doses of bio-identical hormones and
closely monitored for the individual person has very
few side-effects and together with modifying their
lifestyle and following a good nutrition and exercise
programme will improve the overall quality of life.
Whether the person need injectable HGH or secrato-
gogues will depend on his initial HGH levels. The only
caution is unlike vitamin supplementation which need
not be closely monitored, hormone supplementation
in higher than normal doses and if non bio-identical
hormones are used can lead to various serious side
effects. Therefore any hormone intake whether it is
thyroxine, insulin, testosterone or HGH must be in
consultation with a trained doctor knowledgeable in
this subject. — The Health
Dato Dr Rajbans Singh is the president of the Malaysian
Wellness Society and Pantai hospital Kuala Lumpur’s
Consultant Physician and Geriatrician.