Human Growth Hormone: The New Fountain of Youth? By: J. Bowler http://www.ageless-beauty.com

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) has become a very popular, although expensive, antiaging treatment. Even skeptics admit that HGH treatments produce very noticeable results. The question of safety of long term use is still up in air.

Although use of hormones in treatment of various conditions is not new, it seems to always be shrouded in controversy. For example, hormones have been prescribed to women undergoing menopause for almost 40 years, but debate over its safety and efficacy continues to present day.

HGH is a protein naturally produced by pituitary gland. It stimulates anabolic activity in all areas of human body. Basically this means that it helps synthesize simple substances into complex material of living tissue.

Studies performed by National Institute of Aging have shown that people receiving human growth hormone benefit from a change in body composition. They develop several pounds of extra muscle while losing fat.

Patients receiving HGH report a decrease in pain, an increase in flexibility and a sense of well being they did not have before. Other antiaging benefits of HGH therapy is that skin becomes thicker and more flexible, immune system is enhanced, stamina increases, cholesterol balance is shifted in a positive way, more calcium is deposited on bones and glands are restored.

If "The smallest pain in our little finger gives us more concern..." then what happens when we have back, knee or joint pain?

Did you know that - 80% of Americans will battle with back pain at some point in their lives? - 7 million people are treated for back pain every year? - 2 million new cases of back pain are opened every year? - $100 billion is being spent annually in medical bills, disability and lost productivity at work? Pain and Pain Relief is of utmost concern for most of us that are in constant pain.

Why are we in Pain?

Before we can answer this question, we need to understand how body interprets and handles pain. The pain impulse begins at point of an injury for example a cut, burn, pinched nerve, bruised muscle etc.

Once impulse starts, it triggers a number of bio-chemicals to be released at site of injury. Some of these bio-chemicals are histamine, bradykinin, prostaglandin, and Substance P. Each of these has one or more effects on body. And many of these bio-chemicals are inflammatory -- that is they cause injury site to swell up.

Inflammation is actually a defense mechanism for body. Inflammation serves to bathe injury in healing fluids and acts as a cushion to protect against further injury. However. if inflammation is prolonged or out of control, it can cause destruction. This is what occurs in arthritis where inflammation actually destroys joints. Also, inflammation can serve to compound problems by actually causing pain itself.

This explains how an injury causes body to release a number of biochemicals that can cause inflammation. Another action of these biochemicals, though, is to stimulate nerve fibers of pain, C fibers. (The body actually has three types of nerve fibers: A fibers. B fibers and C fibers. The main fibers which transmit pain impulse are C fibers.) Histamine, bradykinin, prostaglandins and other bio-chemicals are actually stimuli that cause pain impulse to begin.

Types of Pain Relief