Pharmacology Human Growth Hormone

How many amino acids are in natural hGH? Synthetic?

191; 190

What can elevated endogenous hGH lead to?

acromealy

What effect does exercise have on hGH?

aerobic and anaerobic exercise stimulates natural hGH output in both men and women, but especially women

hGH is an _____ acid which is _______ in nature.

amino; anabolic

Where is hGH secreted from?

anterior pituitary gland

hGH is the most commonly sought drug among _________.

athletes

Describe somatotrop adenomas and the effect they have on the body

benign tumors that grown in and around the brain; cause headaches, blurred vision, etc.

What was the original intention for hGH use?

children who suffered from growth disorders and adults who were not endogenously producing enough GH

What effect does hGh have on body fat?

decreased

What condition can be corrected by supplementary hGH?

dwarfism

Levels of GH spike post exercise in what two populations?

elderly men and women who use contraceptives

hGH is sometimes called the "_____________" drug.

fountain of youth

What effect does exogenous hGH have on exercise performance in those who are deficient?

improves exercise performance (increased muscle mass and muscle strength)

What effect does hGH have on protein?

increase protein synthesis

Why does hGH cause an hyperplasia?

increased RNA because of increased protein synthesis

What effect does hGH have on muscle?

increased muscle mass via sacromere hyperplasia

What effect does which has what effect on the bone?

increased; strengthens bone and increases bone mineralization

Do the effects of hGH on muscle last, or do they wear off?

last

hGH promotes _______

lipolysis

What are the potential complications with hGH?

long term irreversible effects (acromegaly), needle sharing risks (infection, skin scarring), hirsutism (unwanted hair growth), bad batches of synthetic hGH (most is made without Rx)

What effect does exogenous hGH have on exercise performance in those who are not deficient?

no ergogenic benefit

Describe what hGH is and what its purpose is.

peptide hormone that stimulates regeneration, growth, and cell reproduction

Describe pituitary gigantism

rare, but results from a GH secreting tumor in kids

What effect does hGH have on glucose?

reduces liver uptake of glucose

What are the effects of hGH abuse?

somatotrop adenomas, acromegaly, pituitary gigantism

What are other names for hGH?

somatotropin and somatropin

What effect does hGH have on internal organs?

stimulates growth of all except the brain

Describe acroacromegaly

thickened jawbone, forehead, fingers, and toes

Why are athletes wanting to use hGH?

tissue repair and protein synthesis, anecdotal reports (not research based), possible increase in effectiveness when used in a cycle with steroids

How is synthetic hGH detected?

undetectable through standard urine drug screen (it shows up, but you cannot tell if it is natural or synthetic), synthetic must be detected by blood draw

Is hGH a banned substance?

yes- NFL and MLB are currently testing (MLB minors all get tested, majors are tested by suspicion)