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HGH refers to human growth hormone and is an abbreviation for human GH measured in the extracts from human pituitary glands.
Growth hormone (GH) is also called somatropin and somatotropin.
It is a polypeptide hormone secreted by the somatotrope cells of the anterior pituitary gland, in larger amounts than any other pituitary hormone and stimulates growth and cell reproduction in humans.
In 1985, biosynthetic human growth hormone replaced pituitary-derived human growth hormone for therapeutic use in the U.S. and elsewhere.
GH secretion occurs in different amounts and patterns for different individuals and changes throughout life with peaks declining with age.
Effects of growth hormone on the tissues of the body can generally be described as anabolic (building up). Like most other protein hormones GH acts by interacting with a specific receptor on the surface of cells.
GH is known to stimulate the production of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). The liver is a major target organ of GH for this process, and is the principal site of IGF-1 production.
Although height growth is the best known effect of GH, it serves many other metabolic functions as well. GH increases calcium retention, and strengthens and increases the mineralization of bone.
It increases muscle mass by creating new muscle cells, while at the same time reducing body fat, increaseing protein synthesis and stimulating the growth of all internal organs along while at the same time stimulating the immune system.
Growth Hormone . “Wikipedia” 2006.
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