Growth Hormone and Tissue Repair

Growth hormone is responsible for ensuring adequate overall increase in size during childhood and puberty, as well as permitting addition and retention of muscle mass thereafter. Proper levels of growth hormone also helps maintain skin tone. Growth hormone is vital for the function and repair of muscles, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, joints, nerves and brain. Some evidence exists for growth hormone exerting a calming effect, thereby relieving depression and anxiety.

Typical signs of low levels of growth hormone in the body include:

• Feelings of anxiety
• Loss of energy and endurance
• Feeling of never getting quite enough sleep
• Sagging cheeks and dropping eyelids
• Thinning lips
• Shrinking muscles
• Increase in body fat, especially around the waist

Growth hormone production in the body can be stimulated by weight-bearing exercise. As human growth hormone (HGH) circulates in the body it not only acts to increase muscle mass but also can stimulate the repair of damaged tissues. Evidence exists to show that HGH therapy can be helpful for issues such as worn cartilage in the knees, and increasing the rate and efficacy of tendon repair in older people.