Human growth hormone supplements are being sold on the internet to combat ageing. Do they work?

Human growth hormone (HGH) is one of the many important ‘ neurochemicals of communication’ , along with the likes of DHEA, acetylcholine and serotonin. Also known as somatotrophin, HGH is produced in the pituitary gland and influences the growth of bones, cells, organs and muscles. We produce less of it as we age, hence the interest in it as an anti-ageing treatment.Taking an optimal amount of the nutrients from which the body builds HGH is unquestionably an effective anti-ageing strategy. They include the amino acids ornithine, arginine, glutamine, glycine and tryptophan, all of which are present in protein foods. Whether or not these specific nutrients actually do create HGH (even when HGH is one of them, as the digestion process often breaks down these structures prior to absorption) is another matter. But there are more pressing concerns to do with taking HGH.