One of the first signs of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) you may notice is extra fat gain, especially around your waist. This is amongst the most common GHD symptoms and in some cases the only complaint which patients experience.
The most specific aspect of the symptom is that the abdominal fat gain persists even when you follow a strict weight loss diet and exercise regime.
If left without treatment, GHD can lead to excessive accumulation of adiposity around your waist and internal organs, which is known as visceral obesity. This type of fat distribution is a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Therefore, initiating treatment as soon as possible will reduce your risk of developing any of these chronic debilitating conditions and help improve your quality of life.
HGH therapy helps to lose weight
Growth hormone plays a major role in controlling the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in the adult organism.
If you have GHD, then you can restore your hormone balance by starting HGH therapy. It has an identical structure and benefits to the one naturally produced by your pituitary gland.
HGH stimulates your adipose cells to release their fatty acids and shrink by activating the enzyme hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). The process is called lipolysis and it is one of the key mechanisms of fat loss.
Once the fats are released into your bloodstream, GH blocks another enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL). This prevents the fatty acids from getting back in.
Thus, your body directs fatty acids toward your muscle where they can get burned for energy.
It is important to note that growth hormone is more sensitive to specific areas of fat such as around your internal organs and the subcutaneous area around your waist. Therefore HGH therapy will help reduce visceral fat first which will also improve your metabolic health.
Abdominal fat loss is not the only aspect of your body composition that growth hormone therapy will improve. In addition, HGH treatment will increase your lean body mass and help protect your muscles from wasting.
How long does it take for HGH to start burning fat?
Scientists report that 6 weeks of HGH therapy is sufficient to cause significant abdominal fat loss in the majority of treated GHD patients.
You can expect noticeable improvements in body fat during your second month of therapy. Furthermore, it usually takes several months until these benefits reach their maximum.
Unfortunately, there is still no treatment that can restore the function of the pituitary gland in patients with GHD. Therefore, the benefits of HGH replacement therapy are not permanent and will only last for the duration of your treatment.
How losing weight will improve your life
Reducing body fat and visceral obesity carries multiple benefits for your health. Well-known effects include lower cholesterol, reduced blood pressure, improved blood sugar control, and increased insulin sensitivity.
For example, abdominal fat loss after 6-12 months of HGH therapy is associated with improved blood cholesterol levels and cardiovascular benefits such as reduced markers of inflammation.
Even though growth hormone is an antagonist to insulin and the therapy may increase insulin resistance, these long-term trials show that the benefits outweigh the negative effects.
Scientists revealed that due to the weight loss, insulin sensitivity was significantly improved compared to the pre-treatment levels.
In fact, losing as little as 5% of your body weight can lead to a dramatic improvement in insulin sensitivity and reduce your risks of developing type 2 diabetes.
Not to mention that weight loss will also help your physical mobility, appearance, and endurance. In turn, being more physically active will help you lose belly fat and stay healthy even at an older age.
Get a free consultation with our medical expert for any questions about hormone replacement therapy