HGH is an acronym for Human Growth Hormone which is also known as somatotropin. Somatotropin is produced in the pituitary gland that is located inside the brain. Compared with other hormones manufactured in the human body, somatotropin is produced in great abundance during the formative years of growth.

It is important because it effects cell growth in bones, organs and muscles throughout the body. When boys and girls go through growth spurts during their adolescent years, the pituitary gland is at its highest point of somatotropin production. It is important that each child have just the right amount of this hormone produced for proper growth.

Too much somatotropin will produce over growth or gigantism and too little will result in under growth or dwarfism. After reaching growth maturity, the amount of this hormone produced daily decreases naturally.

If you’re wondering if we receive compensation from this product, yes we do if you happen to order it through us, and we appreciate your business.Many researchers agree that a lot of the signs of aging, such as graying hair, skin wrinkles and poor posture are credited to this decreased hormone production.

In order to prevent the signs of aging too early, some scientists have done studies on using an injectable human growth hormone to slow down this process. These researchers claim that although many of the other endocrine hormones produced in the body also decline with age, it is the loss of somatropin that causes the most damage.

They believe that HGH is responsible for far greater benefits in keeping the appearance of youth than these other hormones, such as estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA. The studies they have done indicate that HGH also affects weight loss, helps with maintaining memory function, increases sex drive and overall energy and also helps build muscle mass.

These declarations make a strong argument for the promotion of using injectable HGH products.Even though the normal pituitary never totally stops producing somatropin, after the age of 30 the levels increasingly lower with each passing year.

On top of this naturally decrease, there are other factors that adults experience that add to a loss of HGH production. Some diseases are known for affecting somatotropin manufacturing as well as surgical operations or radiation treatment used to thwart the growth of cancers and such.

When this production is slowed greatly, adults can experience weight gain, cholesterol fluctuations, heart disease, extreme tiredness and loss of bone density that leads to osteoporosis.There are conflicting opinions on the topic of going against the natural aging process and using a form of injectable growth hormone.

On the positive side, being those who believe it to be a good thing to supplement the body with HGH, several factors are cited. Some of these are: increased energy levels, greater muscle mass, greater weight management, control in the progress of some diseases such as AIDS, and better bone density.

Those with an opposite viewpoint say that with increased HGH levels in adults there is also an increase in breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men. Some studies show that those treated with growth hormones actually die at a younger age than their contemporaries who were not treated and maintained lower levels of HGH.

There are natural HGH supplements on the market which supposedly circumvent these nasty side effects and offer a safer, more natural alternative for you to encourage your body to make more of its own natural “youth hormones”.

Studies done on mice show that there is increased brain aging for those subjects injected with the growth hormone.  For those of the population who are considering the use of supplementing a growth hormone to fight the aging process, the cost of starting on one of these programs is very expensive.

There are clinics and “youth spas” that claim they can turn back the hands of time with their prescriptive growth hormones. They call their programs “anti-aging” or age management medicine and can cost as much as $1,000 per month for injections.

They also offer HGH supplements taken like vitamins and even sprays that are used nasally. These options can run a patient up to $300 per month. It is the opinion of many researchers that these pill and spray programs are nothing short of a con as growth hormones cannot be absorbed taken by mouth in pill form or absorbed into tissues by nasal sprays.

The real question remains about the authenticity of positive anti-aging results with the use of human growth hormone injections. If you ask several medical authorities, you are likely to receive several different opinions. Most traditional doctors will answer this question with a firm “no”.

The final authority on all drugs used in the United States is the Federal Drug Administration which takes a cautious stand on the use of growth hormones. Their official view is that they should only be used in the treatment of illness and disease. These include growth hormone deficiencies in youth and some wasting syndromes seen in certain diseases.

There is a definite medical procedure that doctors perform to diagnose a true hormone growth deficiency. The results of these valid findings are what the FDA uses to approve the use of HGH.

For those who wish to pursue the other type of prescriptions that target halting the aging process, there are laws that prohibit the use or distribution of HGH for the purpose of treatments other than disease control or for a recognized medical condition.

These illegal offenses carry a five year prison sentence and/or fines up to $500,000. The FDA urges people who are concerned with the signs of aging too quickly or chronic fatigue to see an accredited endocrinologist to be evaluated.

As we age, there are of course a variety of undesirable things that happen not only to our physical appearance, but also to our mental facilities. As with most everything else age-related though, there are many ways you can help slow the inevitable process of aging, and even to help reverse some of the not so grand signs of aging.

One of the things that men and women alike complain about as they get older is that their muscle mass seems much more difficult to maintain. At the same time, fatty tissue builds more easily on the body as our levels of HGH, or Human Growth Hormone start to wane.  The one-two combination of higher levels of fatty tissue and less muscle mass really does a number on our bodies – and our ego.

But what about the likes of people who never seem to age and seem to retain muscle mass and be able to successfully keep a lot of fat from forming on the body? Well, they likely not only eat the right diet, but also take part in the right combinations of exercise that will help them to maintain that muscular, lean look.

There are also supplements that can help you build lean muscle as well as help keep fat storage to a minimum.  One of them is Nitric oxide, which a lot of body builders use to help them get that pumped muscle look that they typically have, and to help minimize body fat storage.

Combining supplements, a high protein low fat diet and very little carbs will also give you the lean, mean look as well. Just performing high impact short burst exercises makes your body go into overdrive when it comes to natural HGH production, so simply getting those high intensity, shorter workouts in a couple times a week will help your body get that look you desire.

Also getting the proper amount of sleep with help with maintaining muscle mass while decreasing body fat since one of the main times your body repairs itself and its muscle tissues and pumps out human growth hormone is in the deeper stages of REM sleep.

One of the most ridiculous things I ever read about working out and drinking water is that you should try really hard to just avoid drinking water or beverages at all.  The one thing I do agree with is that you shouldn’t drink sugary electrolyte replenishing drinks during workouts, unless you need the carbs and you are doing something extremely intensive like running a marathon, a triathlon or something like that.

During the course of “normal” working out though, that is not advised.  Why? Well, working out, you’re burning calories and carbs. You don’t want to add more of the very thing you’re trying to burn while you’re working out.

There is also evidence that you stop producing HGH, the precious Human Growth Hormone, that you taper off on producing with age, when you work out. But the catch is you only produce it much more during workouts when you’re not also simultaneously carb loading.

Some recommendations actually say to wait a few hours after a workout to even eat or drink any carbs.  So what about just drinking plain old water during a workout?  Nothing wrong with that, right?

Definitely not. You actually need to replenish some of the lost water through the sweat you’ve been putting out during a workout. The more you sweat, the more you’ll need to drink.  The argument from the non-water drinkers is that you are hurting your body’s natural mechanism for putting the body into high calorie burning mode during a workout.

They claim that you are bringing the body temperature down and defeating the purpose of heating it up. That’s only if you’re drinking severely cold water though, and the effect is momentary, trust me.  So, I think this can be safely debunked.

One thing you don’t want to do is drink too much water. This can lead to cramping and a belly full of water that can be uncomfortable to carry around when you’re moving around vigorously.

Too much water, or food for that matter, when you are working out vigorously lends itself to cramping.  Plus it just plain weighs you down. When your body is using energy to burn off food AND work out, you are inevitably going to have a mediocre workout that you can’t put 100% in to.

Women are more and more frequently getting on weight machines, and that’s a great thing.  Women previously seemed to be either intimidated by weight machines or simply were more interested in doing aerobic activity.  Now, with muscles being considered sexy and powerful on women, you find females on these machines all the time.  It’s a great thing!

If you are thinking about using the weight machines at any gym, whether you’re a guy or a girl, make sure you first get the little once-over type of education they give you at any gym. They should always have a person on site that will be able to show you how to use weight machines safely.

They also will be able to show you how to use them effectively, so that you get the most results out of each use and are targeting the proper problem area that you want to when using it. Basically, you need to know how to use these machines correctly so that A.) you don’t get hurt and B.) you don’t waste your time doing an exercise wrong.

Well, since women have been increasingly getting on these machines, there have been more reports of injuries. I’ve gotta be honest, at the gym, I’m seeing more women on these weight machines than men, so it makes sense that more women are reporting injuries.

The increase in weight room related injuries in women has gone up over 50% over the past few years. You think maybe women are loving feeling strong and muscular?  I, as a woman myself, can tell you that it feels amazing to me when I can actually lift heavy things and I feel stronger.

To me, it’s just empowering. Sure, it’s great to look muscular and more “cut”, but the best thing about it is, the older I get, the more invincible building muscle makes me feel.

Flexing and toning your muscles has now gone high tech. Flexing muscles has always been a self started type of activity. Now, with Complex Muscle Stimulators, electrical impulses can flex your muscles for you instead of your voluntary activity.

Compex, by delivering electrical impulses, induces a deeper muscle contraction than through voluntary activity. This electrical muscle stimulation, or EMS, is not meant to replace physical exercise or strength training. It is intended for use together with your existing strength training routine to enhance it.

The advantages of using the Compex EMS together with your training routine are many. Compex reduces the risk of injury and fatigue. Used with regular traditional exercise, Compex EMS can increase your endurance and strength. Increased muscle mass and performance can be the result. Recovery time can be faster with the use of the Compex EMS.

The Compex EMS has 5 levels of progression to help you improve your workout. There is an Active Recovery program that lasts 24 minutes that promotes muscle relaxation. There are different programs to the Compex EMS that include potentiation, endurance, resistance, strength, explosive strength and active recovery.

The potentiation program is intended for use to prepare your muscles for a competition. The endurance program is meant for athletes to improve their long-duration performance. The resistance program is to sustain intense effort in athletic sports.

The strength program helps with strength and speed. The explosive strength program is for use by athletes involved in sports like jumping or sprinting. The active recovery program should be used within 3 hours after each competition or intense training periods. It increases blood flow and has a relaxing effect.

Use of the Compex EMS involves learning about proper placement of the muscle stimulation pads. There is a specific placement for each muscle group. There is a video online on their website for each individual muscle group. There are also different ways to position yourself for application of the pads depending on which area you are working on.

There are training programs incorporating the Compex EMS for all of the sports categories. They cover baseball, basketball, swimming, cycling, tennis and many more. The cost of the Compex EMS varies with the type of device you choose. It can range from $430.00 for the “Fitness” to the “Sport Elite” for $849.00.

The placement of the electrodes should never be on the face or any other sensitive areas. Compex is not for use for people with pacemakers or any other similar medical condition.

The complexity of using the Compex EMS could be a challenge for some people and the price could make some people shy away from the Compex EMS. For certain athletes, however, the Compex EMS could be welcomed as an effective workout complement to enhance their performance.

I recently did something to my poor hammies (affectionate term for hamstrings, although it’s kind of cringe worthy I admit).  I ran for a long time the other day at the track, and I’m thinking that the distances and the fact that I’m not used to running for so long may have been the culprit.

At any rate, I can only really feel the super tightness when I bend over or utilize my hamstrings in small ways, so it’s not a contstant pain or discomfort. You will find this a lot with hamstring pulls. You don’t actually feel the discomfort until you go to utilize this particular part of the leg agin.

What I tend to do when this happens is a lot of yoga inspired moves, and also a lot of pre-running stretches that I’ve done for my hamstrings in the past. I am very careful not to over extend this delicate muscle when it is too tight, so I really ease into these stretches and don’t force them at all.

The first one is the dive. This is a yoga inspired stretch. I take my hands at my sides, and come up to a point, like a diver, at the top of my head. I then bend over at my waist, taking my hands back down again to the sides, exhaling.  I make sure to keep my legs completely straight, and this means that I feel a fantastic sort of stretch in the back of my legs (hammies).

It’s a great, releasing sort of stretch, and I also use this stretch to calm my mind and loosen up my body if I’m stressed out or I’m having trouble breathing correctly or am nervous about some event. It brings with it a sense of calm, and the correct breathing also brings more oxygen to the backs of the legs, which helps your muscles to relax.

Your hamstrings can be very delicate, so it is important to never force a stretch here.  I also do some of my pre-running stretches to try to get them loosened up. I take my leg and put it up to about trunk level, and gently lean forward to my ankle, breathing out as I stretch the muscle.

This one is easy to over do, so just make sure you exhale as you exert the stretch, and take it easy when you lean forward (don’t go too far) or you may be in too much pain or make the strain worse.

Wimbledon is in full swing, and there have already been numerous victories at this point (Maria Sharipova lost in a close match). Some dreams have been extinguished, while others have been fulfilled for some of the talented tennis stars from across the globe.  I’ll admit, I’m definitely not someone who would sit and watch tennis.

To me, it’s not the most exciting sport to spectate.  However, having played the sport when I was younger, I can certainly attest to the fact that tennis is one of the best sports to play for pure, cardiovascular, toning and ripping exercise.

Think about it. You are constantly moving up and down the court, and your mind is very busy too the whole time, strategizing, thinking, and burning more calories.  You also have to have quite a bit of arm strength to be able to wail the ball over the ropes to your opponent, so your arms get a great workout as well.

Think about it. Every tennis star you see is always in fantastic shape. They have to be. They must be lithe, agile, and very lean and muscular to be able to move about the court like cats, and to be able to strike at the drop of a hat, on a moment’s notice when their no doubt formidable opponent lobs the ball over with incredible strength and speed.

Agility is a must, as well and hand eye coordination in the sport of tennis. If you don’t have these two qualities, you likely will not a great tennis player make. This is me, by the way. I’ve never had the greatest hand eye coordination.

My husband on the other hand has better coordination than I do, and we played tennis once.  He basically blew me away at the game because I couldn’t make contact with the ball. However, I must say in my defense that I can ice skate circles around him on the ice rink, so ha!

Tennis is an interesting sport for some to watch, but to me it’s almost akin to watching golf, because there’s really no drama, and the audience is too quiet. I suppose it’s a bit too calm and high brow for my more middle American taste.

I’m not a huge sports fan overall, which is ironic because I do care very much about my personal fitness, and can certainly appreciate the training, dedication and shear willpower that go into the wins of any athlete.

I am constantly on my husband about stretching before and after he works out. He never does it, and always wonders why he easily gets injured. While I can get him to do it occasionally, he stubbornly believes that he doesn’t need to stretch before he exercises, especially if he’s just weight lifting.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth. You should always warm your body up before you work out, no matter what kind of workout you’re doing. Think of your muscles as a rubber band. If you warm a rubber band up, it would be less likely to snap and break or tear because you’ve warmed it by stretching it out, making it more pliable and less brittle.

Your muscles are really no different. They need to be warmed up, stretched out, and made more pliable by physically warming them up. Why do you think so many people get injured when they’re moving heavy furniture, or doing things where they would not normally warm their bodies beforehand?

It’s because they haven’t warmed that muscle yet, and go right into using it when it’s still in a sort of dormant, brittle state.  This is how you get muscle tears, pulls and over extensions.  I’ve done it myself, and guess what? It was always when I knew I had not adequately stretched my muscles and gotten them warmed up!

It’s especially easy to do it when you haven’t been as active in a while. Doctors see an influx in patients with injuries in the spring time. People tend to over do it in the spring because they’ve been couped up all winter long, and tend to get outdoors and go overboard, or go overboard with their other exercises in the spring time .

That spring fever hits, and you forget that your body isn’t adequately prepared to be vigorously worked any more.  It’s especially important when your body isn’t used to physical activity, to make sure that you feel those muscles are “warm” before attempting anything like running or jogging, or doing any type of vigorous, high impact working out.

Dynamic stretching, which is light jogging in place, or moving one part of the body like the arms, to warm up the muscles and get the blood pumping to the muscles so they can become warmer, is very good for any type of workout. In fact, dynamic stretching should be done before working out, not static stretching, which should only be reserved for after the workout.

My husband recently was trying to lose weight, but he also wanted to simultaneously build lean muscle, and keep the muscle that he had. He has long been a fan of the muscle preserving and building supplement creatine.

Creatine has been around for a while, and is a staple of many body-conscious weight lifters and people who just want to get lean and muscular quickly.  It used to be that you had to drink creatine with grape juice, but there are many kinds now that you do not need to do this with.

Creatine comes in powder form, and for those that like to take pills better, it also comes in a pill form now. Depending on what you like, or what you feel is more effective, you do have options as to how to take this supplement.

My husband said he always noticed better muscle gains faster when he supplemented his diet with creatine and started a regular weight lifting regimen. I never did try it because I was always happy with my results from doing cardio and my light weight lifting. Plus I confess, I’m a woman, and I was a little scared I’d start looking a bit too buff for my personal taste!

My husband also made it a point to do his cardio after his weight training, or alternate his weight training days with his cardio days. Which is odd, because I know most women do their cardio first, then their weight lifting. Men and women metabolize a bit differently though, and they do need to do their workouts a little differently.

Also, my husband informed me a while ago that men do body parts at a time, as opposed to the whole body at one time like most women do, and get results from. This works well when they are trying to concentrate on building individual parts, such as their biceps, triceps and quads, for example.

He would take either his creatine or his protein drink of choice after his workout, and he did get more lean muscle mass by doing this.

So I just had my first opportunity to really get ou tand about in the yard and do some yard work. It was a perfect day to do it. At first I thought it was a bit chillier than I would have wanted but once I got going and got my heart pumping and circulation going and started to really work, I was glad it was only about 55 degrees!

I also like the fact that it is before it starts to get all buggy outside. The bugs always bother me when I’m gardening, and it’s definitely one of the reasons I don’t like doing that “yucky” work when it’s eighty degrees or higher outside.  Although I will say you get more of a sweat and probably a better workout when it’s hot outside.

What I did today was mulch three large garden beds. Before I could actually spread the mulch though, I had to clean the beds out. There was a lot of debris in the way of dead branches, leaves and other things leftover from last fall and more. That in itself is a lot of work.

There is a lot of lifting, bending and walking with heavy items and wheel barrows when you mulch, especially when you live on a really graded piece of land like we do.  First, I had to hoist bags of mulch that weighed about fifty pounds each into the wheel barrow, then wheel them down fifty feet or more to the garden beds, then I had to spread the mulch shovel full by shovel full.

I was beat!  I’m hoping I really burned a lot of calories because I feel famished and I also feel like I could take a nap after the four hours outdoors!  Welcome SPRING!!! I’m so glad you’re here. It was great to get outside and get a natural workout with some cardio and muscle work in and also feel a huge sense of accomplishment when I’m done.

I will say, there is nothing more peaceful that yard work once you get into it, and the feeling of gratification knowing that you did something to make your yard look beautiful is really the best part.  Oh, and the calories burned and muscles worked. Except now I think I may need an Aleve for my back