(Ivanhoe Newswire) – A great deal of attention has been focused on
athletes and entertainers using the human growth hormone (hGH). However,
researchers want to focus on the everyday people who use the substance and
find out how it’s impacting their lives. Some use hGH to ward off the normal
effects of aging.
Dr. Thomas Perls, director of the New England Centenarian Study and an
associate professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, is
quoted as saying, “Despite the overwhelming evidence that the risks and
dangers of growth hormone far outweigh the clinically demonstrated
insignificant benefit in normally aging individuals, the prescribing,
distribution and sale of hGH for alleged anti-aging aesthetic and athletic
enhancement has dramatically grown over the past few years.”
These drugs, which are most often given in a “cocktail” that also includes
anabolic steroids and other substances, can lead to swelling of the soft
tissues, joint pain, carpal tunnel-like symptoms, enlarged breasts and
insulin resistance. Some studies suggest hGH can lead to an increased risk
for cancer as well. While they’re marketed for their anti-aging properties,
little research exists to show they are effective in turning back the clock.
Dr. Perls and his colleagues call for better public education about the
risks, more focus on everyday users, and strengthening and enhancing the
laws governing the illegal distribution of hGH.
SOURCE: Boston University press release, June 17, 2008
