Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
Clinical evidenceA 40-year-old approved drug whose off-label anti-aging life has run far ahead of its evidence.
What it is
Recombinant human growth hormone is a 191-amino-acid copy of the exact growth hormone your pituitary makes. It has been FDA-approved since 1985 and today sells under more than ten brand names. There is a right use for it and a much murkier off-label one.
How it works
It binds growth-hormone receptors on nearly every tissue. The main downstream signal is liver-made IGF-1, which drives muscle building, fat burning, bone turnover, and growth. In people who truly lack growth hormone, this effect is transformative and well documented.
What people report
- ✦Treats childhood growth failure and adult growth-hormone deficiency
- ✦Supports lean mass and bone health in true deficiency
- ✦Historical treatment for HIV-related wasting
- ✦Weekly long-acting versions now reduce injection burden
Typical use
Prescribed as an ongoing therapy for people with documented deficiency, injected daily or weekly depending on the formulation.
Dosing reference
Clinician-set and dose is highly individualized. This is a prescription drug with a felony statute around off-label distribution — not a supplement.
Reference only — not a recommendation. Verify via primary sources.
Watch for
In healthy adults chasing anti-aging, the evidence shows only modest body-composition changes plus common side effects: water retention, carpal tunnel, glucose intolerance. The 'anti-aging' reputation comes from one small 1990 study that never claimed what the clinics claimed.
Notes
The anti-aging culture has outrun the anti-aging evidence for 35 years. For the patients who actually need it, it remains a foundational, life-changing medicine.
Educational content — not medical advice.