LEARNING

Growth Hormone History: Initial Discovery to the Present Time

Growth hormone was first observed in the 1920’s, but it wasn't until the 1950’s that its benefits were discovered. Researchers began administering growth hormone to children who had growing deficiencies and found that it promoted a normal pattern of development.

This discovery was thrilling, of course, but the drawback was acquiring a supply. The only source for the hormone was to extract it from the pituitary gland of human cadavers. Each gland only contributed a few drops and so to obtain enough for just a single injection was very time consuming, and also very expensive.

However, in 1985 this changed. A biotech company, Genentech, which had earlier cloned the human gene for insulin, brought to market a recombinant (genetically engineered) Growth Hormone. A short while later, in 1987, Eli Lilly did the same.

Coinciding with this breakthrough, a great deal of research was being done in the area of anti-aging. After thirty years of experience with both children and adults deficient in Growth Hormone, no significant side effects had been experienced, and so researchers began giving growth hormone to healthy adults.

The results were phenomenal. In study after study, the participants were losing body fat, gaining lean muscle mass, increasing energy levels, gaining strength and stamina, having sexual function enhanced, reducing wrinkled skin, thickening and even regrowing hair, lowering blood pressure, balancing cholesterol, and on and on.

But even with the availability of recombinant Growth Hormone the cost for most people was still prohibitive. With the injections costing $15,000 to $30,000 a year only the wealthy could afford it.

Then in 1998 came another tremendous breakthrough; researchers were able to create an oral form of Growth Hormone. After decades of being a little-known and very expensive drug, it was formulated into a food supplement possessing all the benefits of the injections.

So the ultimate in anti-aging is now in the form of a safe, homeopathic substance, priced in a range affordable to most everyone.