When playing sports professionally and competitively, many athletes rely on HGH. HGH is shown to improve the athletic performance of men and women who play sports for those who suffer from hormone deficiency. There are a few main reasons why sports celebrities rely on HRH to play well, which has contributed to its popularity and success in recent years.
How Older Adults Can Benefit From the Growth Hormone
HRT is provided to patients who need hormone therapy due to a deficiency in their bodies. When used routinely, it can treat a variety of conditions like menopause and is necessary for reducing the risk of different ailments and diseases that can occur over time. This makes it one of the main reasons it’s commonly prescribed to older adults. It is also prescribed to older men who experience a lower production of testosterone as they age.
HRT is known to contain female hormones and works well for replacing estrogen, which the body naturally stops producing during menopause.
Stories of Sportsmen Using HGH
Peyton Manning is one of the most well-known athletes in the world that used HGH, which was sent to his home in Florida in 2015. Manning claimed that the hormones were used as a treatment for a condition his wife suffered from, but this was never confirmed. Eventually, the NFL cleared Manning due to a lack of credible evidence.
Baseball players Ryan Zimmerman and Philadelphia Phillies Ryan Howard were also found to take performance-enhancing drugs. Lance Armstrong admitted to using EPO, testosterone, and blood transfusions, which contributed to his performance and ability to win the Tour de France seven times.
Cyclist Floyd Landis was also stripped of his Tour de France title once he failed a drug test. The medication was used to raise their blood, but this can lead to thickened blood that prevents it from circulating correctly. Over time, this can gradually lead to cardiovascular issues.
Why is HGH Used in Professional Sports?
Many athletes use HGH in sports to increase their stamina, which helps them to perform better and longer while competing professionally. Prohibited steroid hormones are often prescribed for those who want a boost in their stamina and treat general fatigue that they may be experiencing.
Hormones are also used by athletes because they work well to help their bodies adapt to more challenging exercise routines as they start to put more stress on their bodies. They’re effective in stimulating different types of proteins and help to build more muscle mass. They’re also proven to synthesize enzymes, which help to build the body’s endurance levels.
Some of the hormone treatment therapies like testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency for athletes who participate competitively. The hormones are prohibited regardless of if they’re natural, synthetic, or bioidentical. It doesn’t matter how they’re marketed or used. Even if athletes are attempting to increase their hormone levels to bring them back to normal, they are still prohibited with the anti-doping rules that are currently in place. The list of performance-enhancing substances that are approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency continues to become shorter over time. This limits the options available to athletes who are looking for ways to improve their health, especially if they have a hormonal imbalance.
Male athletes are also not provided exemptions at the Olympics. In six years, the Major League Baseball Association has only provided athletes with a total of six exemptions out of 1,200 baseball players. However, there are not any watchdogs that exist to keep players accountable to avoiding the use of HRT.
Negative Effects for Athletes
Although there has been a lot of success with HRT, there are still some risks involved that patients should be aware of in advance while working with a medical professional. The type of hormone therapy influences the risks, as well as the specific dose that is prescribed. This makes it necessary for the hormones to be tailored depending on the individual, their specific needs, and their history. A medical professional should also monitor the results of the hormone therapy and make any necessary adjustments. Sermorelin dosage, as one of the most commonly prescribed HGH brands, should be strictly prescribed by professional Endocrinologist, to prevent abuse.
Studies show there’s an effect of HRT on the body, like any type of medication. Athletes who are prescribed estrogen may experience bloating, indigestion, leg cramps, vaginal bleeding, breast tenderness, headaches, and can feel sick or unwell. Some of the symptoms may begin to subside after the first two weeks of taking the medicine. The medical professional may recommend taking the medicine with food to reduce indigestion or nausea. It’s also suggested to regularly stretch and exercise for those who begin to experience leg cramps. Eating a diet that has low carbohydrates and fat can be beneficial to reduce breast tenderness. If the side effects continue, the medical professional will likely prescribe a different type of medication.
There’s also a risk of side effects for those who are prescribed progestogen, which includes swelling in various parts of the body, vaginal bleeding, abdominal and/or back pain, acne, breast tenderness, mood swings, and headaches or migraines. Similar to estrogen, the symptoms typically subside after several weeks of taking the medication consistently.
Athletes may notice that they begin to experience weight gain after several weeks of taking HRT, especially if they’re going through menopause. Eating a healthy diet and continuing to exercise can minimize the weight gain and allow the body to return to its normal, healthy weight.
There are also more serious risks associated with HRT, which include blood clots and developing different types of cancer with long-term use of the medication. The length of taking the hormones is one of the main determining factors that influences which type of side effects may develop.