HGH (Human Growth Hormone) is protein created in the pituitary gland in the brain. It is often considered to be the master hormone because its presence or absence affects so many different systems of the body. Identified scientifically as Somatropin, HGH is marketed under many different brand names in the current market.

Doctors first began to research HGH in the 1950s as a means of treating children who were not growing at a normal rate. It was determined that these children were deficient in the protein later identified as HGH. In early trials, Bovine GH was injected to try and trigger growth, but it was found that the molecule for bovine GH is different from HGH and the trials failed.

In 1958, Dr. Maurice Raben found a way to purify enough HGH from the ground up pituitary gland taken from a cadaver after an autopsy to treat a young man who was found to be deficient in HGH. This patient was 17 years old and responded to the treatment by growing to a normal height. Following this success, other endorcrinologists began to make arrangements with local morgues to take the pituitary glands from cadavers for use in extracting HGH.

Problems with pituitary based HGH treatment developed as early patients began to suffer symptoms years after their treatments. The disease that seemed to affect nearly all patients who had received early HGH therapy came to be known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This disease can most closely be related to what we call “Mad Cow Disease” today.

In 1981, however, a pharmaceutical company known as Genentech had begun work on using gene therapy to produce HGH in the lab. This recombinant HGH became the first commercially produced version of the protein and came out in a form that had to be injected subcutaneously. Those patients who received HGH from this source did not suffer the side effects or later illness that had stricken those using HGH derived from cadaver pituitary glands.

Despite progress in the production of HGH, the cost of treatment remained very high, making it available to only a select few until the late 1990s. At that time, several different pharmaceutical companies were experimenting with different delivery methods for the protein. As production methods were improved, the cost came down to reasonable levels.

During this time period, abuse of HGH was a problem with professional athletes and body builders. One of the effects of using the hormone was loss of body fat and growth of lean muscle. These were the same effects that athletes sought with anabolic steroids, but the HGH did not have the side effects that had been noticed with steroids.

Over time, it was determined that synthesizing HGH was simply too costly to make it available to a large number of people. Research continued on ways to produce it less expensively. Doctors were able to find a protein that can be taken orally and will stimulate the body to produce more HGH on its own.

It has been determined that production of HGH peaks when one is in his early to mid twenties and declines over time. This protein can stimulate the pituitary gland to make more of the hormone naturally, with no harmful side effects.

Studies are now showing that HGH has several uses in the medical field, from treating those who are deficient in their youth to helping to treat and reverse many of the diseases associated with aging. The ability to administer this medication orally in small doses has made the cost of HGH therapy affordable for almost anyone and because the hormone is actually produced in one’s own body, there is no prescription required at the present time.