SIDE-EFFECTS
Side
effects of growth hormone are generally mild and are largely
associated with salt and water retention. The minority of
patients that experience this typically complain of mild weight
gain from water retention associated with a vague feeling
of puffiness. This is sometimes accompanied by joint discomfort,
particularly in the fingers, with a feeling of tightness when
making a fist. Other joints may also become uncomfortable.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a well-known side effect of growth
hormone that was more common in the early days when growth
hormone was given in higher dose with lower frequency. Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome is also a function of fluid retention, which
causes water to accumulate in the closed carpal tunnel compartment
of the wrist, compressing the median nerve. This results in
numbness and tingling in the palm and fingers. These side
effects are easily remedied by abstaining from growth hormone
for about a week, and then resuming the treatment with a 20%
dose reduction.
Older patients are more subject to side effects and are generally
started at a low dose of growth hormone than younger adults.
Another potential side-effect of growth hormone is the elevation
of blood sugar. Growth hormone mobilizes body fat, causing
our fat cells to break themselves down and release free fatty
acids into the blood stream. These free fatty acids are energy
molecules which can be taken up by organs and many of our
organs to be used for energy. When our muscles are consuming
free fatty acids as a fuel, they are far less interested in
sugar, therefore they tend to resist the effects of insulin,
and extract less sugar from the blood. At the same time, growth
hormone can increase glucose output from the liver to the
blood.
This combination of effects can raise blood sugar and raise
insulin levels, neither of which is good. Fortunately, this
is only a problem in people who eat a diet high in sugar and
starch, and do little exercise. At Cenegenics® we teach our
patients to eat a low glycemic diet (low in sugar and starch)
and exercise regularly. The effect of our nutrition and exercise
program in lowering blood glucose and insulin levels far outweighs
the effect of growth hormone in raising glucose and insulin
levels.
The net effect in our patients, therefore, is the lowering
of glucose and insulin levels. This is a very health-promoting
benefit that prevents disease and extends life span.
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