The interesting aspect of Human Growth Hormone is actually its doses and correlated dose responses. HGH doses will dictate a great deal what types of results will be experienced by the user. Of course, the most prominent detail to be reminded of is the fact that results are 100% dependent on the individual’s nutrition and training. Substances such as Human Growth Hormone or anabolic steroids merely serve to amplify the efforts and hard work that the nutrition and training aspects have properly established. For example, if an individual’s primary goal of fat loss is desired, then the individual’s nutrition must reflect that by either engaging in a caloric deficit or some sort of nutritional plan that favors fat loss. With the addition of specific doses, the fat loss effect can be achieved, and it can be achieved faster and more dramatically than proper nutrition and training alone (without the addition of Human Growth Hormone). Human Growth Hormone doses are very specific in terms of what each subsequent dose increase exhibits in terms of effects (fat loss, muscle gain, rejuvenation, healing, or anti-aging, etc.). Furthermore, HGH dosages required to elicit various effects are also dependent on the age of the individual using it, as older individuals will respond a far greater degree than younger individuals who already possess normal physiological levels of endogenous Human Growth Hormone.
Human Growth Hormone doses are measured in IU (International Units) for ease of measurement, as the actual milligram measurements and concentrations can become quite confusing and impractical. For example, 1mg of Human Growth Hormone is the equivalent of 3IU. This means that a single vial full of 10IU of Human Growth Hormone contains 3.33333mg of Human Growth Hormone in it. Measuring Human Growth Hormone in milligrams is therefore unreliable and impractical. Therefore, measurements of GH dosages are always in IU measurement units. More on this topic of proper Human Growth Hormone reconstitution, storage, and shelf-lives will be covered shortly in the proper administration section of this per of the profile.
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Medical Human Growth Hormone Dosages
Within the field of medicine, doses vary depending on which medical indication is being treated. For the treatment of Human Growth Hormone deficiency in adults, dosages are administered in the range of 1 – 3IU per day and may vary depending on the individual’s bodyweight (smaller individuals will commonly require GH doses closer to the lower end of the range previously outlined.
Human Growth Hormone Dosages For Performance and Physique Enhancement
For the purpose of performance and physique enhancement, Human Growth Hormone in particular cannot be categorized into the three tiers of users (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) due to the fact that advanced users may often tend to utilize a Growth Hormone dose that is considered to be a fairly low beginner dose. Therefore, the layout of doses for the purpose of performance and physique enhancement will be described in terms of different intervals within the dose range. In general, the dose range for the purpose of physique and performance enhancement is that of 2 – 8IU daily, and professional competitive bodybuilders have been known to venture even higher than 8IU daily, though this is not recommended.
2 – 4IU daily HGH dose range: This is the range commonly utilized for the benefits of anti-aging, skin health, and minor fat loss. No dramatic changes will be noticeable from a dose in this range in young individuals in their 20s and is generally considered a more ‘useless’ dose for younger athletes due to the fact that this dose range is very close to the natural endogenously produced levels of Human Growth Hormone at a young age. Dramatic results in either fat loss or muscle anabolism from this dose will not be experienced unless the individual belongs to an older age group (40 years of age or older).
4 – 6IU daily HGH dose range: The range of 4 – 6IU daily will produce moderate and noticeable fat loss in users, and will also be accompanied with a small measure of muscle anabolism associated with it (unless stacked with anabolic steroids, in which case muscle anabolism can be quite dramatic).
6 – 8IU daily GH dose range: This range of dosing will generate noticeable dramatic fat loss in most individuals, as well as muscle gains. However, muscle gains experienced from Human Growth Hormone at any dose will always manifest in the later weeks or months of use due to the nature of the hormone.
The general rule when GH is concerned is that the muscle-building and strength gaining effects of Human Growth Hormone are not very noticeable or apparent in comparison to its fat loss effects. Fat loss will be seen nearly immediately with Human Growth Hormone, but the effects of lean mass increases are less apparent and often manifest itself during the later weeks and months of use. Human Growth Hormone is also commonly used in addition to other compounds, such as anabolic steroids, where the muscle growth effects become far more dramatic and pronounced, and far sooner than when HGH is utilized on its own. The effects of Human Growth Hormone are synergistic with anabolic steroids, which is responsible for the dramatic muscle gains from such a combination. Anabolic steroids in particular increase the levels of IGF-1 in the body, as well as lowering IGF-1 binding proteins[1].T3 (thyroid hormone) is also commonly utilized alongside Human Growth Hormone in order to offset the effect of Human Growth Hormone on thyroid output, and to also increase the dramatic fat loss. Insulin is another such hormone frequently stacked with Human Growth Hormone (although this is considered an advanced technique ONLY and the use of insulin with or without Human Growth Hormone can be lethal). Growth Hormone increases glucose tolerance on the body, and insulin works to offset this effect, as well as increasing the receptor sensitivity to IGF-1 increases caused by Human Growth Hormone, as well as reducing the levels of binding proteins that render IGF-1 inactive in the body[2].
Proper Administration Human Growth Hormone Dosages
Growth Hormone possesses an odd varying half-life of around 30 minutes following injection, as the majority of its effects are resultant from the IGF-1 release signaled to the liver by Human Growth Hormone. Therefore, individuals can choose whether to inject their full dose at once or split it up during the day. Both options are acceptable and neither has been found to hold any advantage over the other except for personal experience, preference, and convenience. Human Growth Hormone is designed for subcutaneous administration primarily (with an insulin syringe), but can also be administered intramuscularly.
An important note to be made is the fact that Human Growth Hormone’s fat loss effects are not expressed in the subcutaneous area it is injected in – fat loss as a result of Human Growth Hormone occurs systemically, and there is no such thing as spot reduction with Growth Hormone despite what rumors may circulate about it. Following injection into subcutaneous tissue, the Human Growth Hormone is carried into the bloodstream where it first travels to the liver before exhibiting its effects on the body.
It is important to note first that GH is a very fragile molecule, and the most violent of impact, shaking and high temperatures will destroy the molecule and render it useless. Therefore, Human Growth Hormone products must be always handled with care. Human Growth Hormone must also be refrigerated at all times. In its freeze-dried form, HGH has been found to possess a shelf life of approximately 18 months when stored in a refrigerator (approximately 2 – 8 degrees Celsius or 35.6 – 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit). At normal room temperature (20 – 24 degrees Celsius or 68 – 75.2 degrees Fahrenheit), it possesses a shelf-life of approximately 30 days before it is destroyed and rendered inactive. Care must be ensured so as to not expose the powder to extreme heat (especially during the summer months if left in a car, for example) or extreme cold temperatures as these will destroy the molecule. Extreme heat as well as violent shaking has been demonstrated to destroy the HGH protein and render it inactive[3]. Once reconstituted (mixed with sterile water or bacteriostatic water), the shelf-life of Human Growth Hormone drops incredibly. Reconstituted HGH must be refrigerated at all times, and the two different types of water it is reconstituted with will also determine specific shelf-life. Shelf-lives of reconstituted products are as follows:
Bacteriostatic water: When reconstituted with bacteriostatic water (water that contains a small amount of benzyl alcohol for sterilization and preservation), Human Growth Hormone possesses a shelf-life of approximately 2 weeks to 20 days (REFRIDGERATED).
Sterile water: When reconstituted with sterile water (pure distilled water that simply contains water-only and no sterilizers), Human Growth Hormone possesses a shelf-life of approximately 5 days (REFRIDGERATED).
When reconstituted with water, any exposure to temperatures higher than refrigeration for extended periods will destroy the hormone in under several hours. Growth Hormone is always prepared as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder and should never be packaged pre-mixed with water.
RECONSTITUTION AND PROPER CONCENTRATIONS: How many IU of Human Growth Hormone an individual will obtain is also dependent on how much bacteriostatic or sterile water the Human Growth Hormone powder is reconstituted with. For example, a single vial containing 10IU of lyophilized (freeze-dried) Human Growth Hormone powder is exactly that: 10IU. But it must be reconstituted with water, and if an individual wishes there to be a concentration of 1IU per 0.1ml, he or she would reconstitute the powder with 1ml of water. If the individual wishes to have a concentration of 2IU per 0.1ml, then he or she would reconstitute the powder with 0.5ml of water. If the individual wishes to have a concentration of 5IU per 0.1ml, then he or she would reconstitute the powder with 0.5ml of water. The concentration of Human Growth Hormone once constituted, is therefore up to the individual where it can be concentrated further (by adding less water) or further diluted (by adding more water). However, most individuals will add 1ml of water so as to ensure a convenient concentration while dosing where each 0.1ml is equal to 1IU of Human Growth Hormone (for example, such a concentration would mean 0.5ml = 5IU of Human Growth Hormone.
Expectations and Results From Human Growth Hormone Dosages
Individuals will primarily experience dramatic fat loss first and foremost when utilizing Human Growth Hormone for performance/physique enhancing purposes. Muscle growth, mass increases, and strength gains resultant of Human Growth Hormone are les apparent and manifest themselves later on into use.
As mentioned previously, the general rule when Growth Hormone is concerned is that the muscle-building and strength gaining effects of Human Growth Hormone are not very noticeable or apparent in comparison to its fat loss effects. Fat loss will be seen nearly immediately with Human Growth Hormone, but the effects of lean mass increases are less apparent and often manifest itself during the later weeks and months of use. HGH is also commonly used in addition to other compounds, such as anabolic steroids, where the muscle growth effects become far more dramatic and pronounced, and far sooner than when Human Growth Hormone is utilized on its own. The effects of Human Growth Hormone are synergistic with anabolic steroids, which is responsible for the dramatic muscle gains from such a combination.
Aside from any performance or physique changes, individuals will also experience the following benefits: increasingly better quality of sleep, greater amounts of energy daily, improved healthier skin tone and disappearance of wrinkles, improved overall mood and quality of life, disappearance of joint pains/problems (due to the repairative effects of Human Growth Hormone), and improved immune system function.
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Medical References:
[1] Growth hormone induced increase in serum IGFBP-1 level is reversed by anabolic steroids in substance abusing power athletes. Clin Endocrinol (Ocf) 49:459-63, 1998.
