There's more talk than ever these days about performance-enhancing substances, chief among them being HGH and steroids (aka "juice"). Veteran pitcher Roger Clemens just returned from a trip to the hill of a different kind to testify before a Congressional committee, and it seems as though the case against slugger Barry Bonds may again be opened. But, aside from aging sports figures, fading Hollywood stars, and every single contestant in the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding contest, who else uses these drugs?

As for HGH, an estimated 30,000 people in the U.S. have visited so-called "anti-aging" clinics to be administered HGH. The associated health risks are incredibly high, yet vanity appears to win out over better judgment in many of these cases. Steroids, which have been linked to a number of health risks of their own, are used by far more people, most of which are neither old nor seemingly in possession of poor judgment.

Based on the results of a new study, the vast majority of steroid users are educated men in their 30s with an average annual income of close to six figures. Without an athletic career on the line, a movie legacy to cling to, or a bodybuilding title to defend, thousands upon thousands of people put their health at risk in order to broaden their shoulders. And, because steroids are a psychologically addictive drug, many users have great difficulty stopping once they have witnessed results.

Generally speaking, testosterone levels in men begin to decline by about 2-3 percent per year starting around the age of thirty. Those numbers are not written in stone, but they are fairly accurate in most cases. As a result, body fat increases, muscle mass decreases, and even libido can be affected over time. It's a naturally occurring process, possibly as a protective measure against the increased risk of developing prostate cancer. Be that as it may, most men still aren't all that thrilled at the idea of gaining weight, losing muscle, and experiencing a diminished sex drive. Making matters worse, the first two of the three negative effects I just mentioned can also have a separate and equally as damaging effect on your cardiac health.

Are there ways to increase your testosterone levels? Yes, there are. Are they safe? Some yes and some are probably not safe at all. In fact, we'll start with those. Despite the fact that there are several "anti-aging" centers springing up around the country, claiming that their use of controlled HGH (human growth hormone) injections can almost reverse the aging process, they are unregulated and the safety of their methods remain highly debated. My two cents? Err waaaaaay on the side of caution on this one -- stay away from HGH injections or supplements. Until more studies are conducted, and until more R & D is done on the synthetic HGH products some of these "anti-aging" clinic doctors are pushing, I suggest that you avoid it like the plague.

Moving right along ...

Last week, Roger Clemens told a congressional committee that he never used human growth hormone, also known as HGH. He is one of many athletes who have come under scrutiny as of late for their admitted or alleged use of this performance-enhancing substance. Still, one salient question remains: What exactly is HGH?

First of all, HGH is not the same as steroids. Natural HGH is created in the pituitary gland. It's primary function is to stimulate the production of bone, muscle, and cartilage in kids as they grow. But, somewhere around the age of 20, the amount of HGH produced goes into decline, dropping precipitously once we reach old age. This, ostensibly, is why an estimated 30,000 Americans have tried synthetic HGH.

Proponents of HGH -- including aging action star Sylvester Stallone, who was stopped by Australian authorities last year for attempting to bring the substance with into the country him during a press tour -- claim that it can help build muscle, reduce body fat, and dramatically slow the aging process.

But at what cost?

HGH works by stimulating the liver to increase production of the natural Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1). However, there is a great deal of research showing that elevated IGF-1 levels are strongly associated with an increased risk of colon, prostate, and breast cancers.

The risks associated with HGH are clearly not worth the unsubstantiated anti-aging properties it supposedly has. Best I can tell, the only way HGH can help prevent people from getting any older is to increase their chances of dying early.

Is the use of Human Growth Hormones (HGH) becoming all too much these days for people of all ages? HGH has been used for quite a while to give a boost to kids who have had trouble physically developing at a normal rate -- but is HGH overused?

When it was found out in the 90s that men taking a six-month course of HGH reduced their body fat by 14.4%, the use of HGH in adults started to become a bit more popular.

It seems that some think adult use of HGH can lead to anti-aging effects. Ah, the eternal fountain of youth pursuit. What do you think? Messing with the natural order of things can lead to...what?

Source