This is a very interesting read!
The role of HGH in the body?
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Thats fine, but, what does this mean for baseball players.
1st - HGH (human growth hormone) cannot be detected in testing. (well, it can, but there is no way to properly determine levels in the blood. That is to say, normal HGH levels fluctuate dramatically over the course of a day, week, etc.)
2nd - HGH makes everything grow, and I mean everything! (except nerve tissue and some special tissue; i.e. spinal cord, brain and eyes). Some signs of HGH overuse and abuse are large foreheads, thick hands & feet, extended jaw. -Tom Platz of bodybuilding fame is the best example of this disfiguring transformation that can occur.
While steriods are a completely different "animal". At least they are specific for muscle growth. The effects of steriods are "generally" reversible when removed. The side effects of HGH are not reversible.
I have seen the effects of HGH use in the 80's by athletes. Back then, before they had developed STH (the sythetic version of HGH) football players were using real HGH taken from the pituitary gland of cadavers. You had a 15% chance of developing diabetes from real HGH! Thats why I have to laugh when I hear people talking about why athletes risk there health for performance by using dangerous substances like steriods (which honestly, the side effects are usually nonexsistant, or mild and reversible). Most top athletes would drink battery acid if they thought it would give them an edge.
1st - HGH (human growth hormone) cannot be detected in testing. (well, it can, but there is no way to properly determine levels in the blood. That is to say, normal HGH levels fluctuate dramatically over the course of a day, week, etc.)
2nd - HGH makes everything grow, and I mean everything! (except nerve tissue and some special tissue; i.e. spinal cord, brain and eyes). Some signs of HGH overuse and abuse are large foreheads, thick hands & feet, extended jaw. -Tom Platz of bodybuilding fame is the best example of this disfiguring transformation that can occur.
While steriods are a completely different "animal". At least they are specific for muscle growth. The effects of steriods are "generally" reversible when removed. The side effects of HGH are not reversible.
I have seen the effects of HGH use in the 80's by athletes. Back then, before they had developed STH (the sythetic version of HGH) football players were using real HGH taken from the pituitary gland of cadavers. You had a 15% chance of developing diabetes from real HGH! Thats why I have to laugh when I hear people talking about why athletes risk there health for performance by using dangerous substances like steriods (which honestly, the side effects are usually nonexsistant, or mild and reversible). Most top athletes would drink battery acid if they thought it would give them an edge.
Savannah, I remember what you are talking about, particularly back in the 70's-80's. There were some studies done and a lot of research. I had a child who took hGh in the early 90's (he's 26 now), so I read up on it very carefully, including all the past history.
In addition, there was an outbreak of CJD in some users of human growth hormone (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). The hormone used to be extracted from Cadavers at that time, so it was rare and expensive. The CJD was a disease with an occurance of about 1/1,000,000 except in one profession, where it seemed to be an occupational hazard ... pathologists. The CJD turned the brain into a spongy mass and was always fatal. The only other area where there was a high natural occurance was in primitive island tribes where canabalism was still practiced. That's why they turned to the artificial form, the natural form was too dangerous.
In 1996, (about the time of the Atlanta Games) a Latvian company started to distribute hGh that it was "harvesting" from cadavers, re-introducing the potential of CJD showing up in the general population. Obviously, if a child has prescription for needed hGh, then the source will be from a trusted manufacturer. If someone is getting the product on the black market, it is very questionable what the actual source would be and that's one heck of a risk to be taking.
About the manufactured form of hGh ... hGh occurs naturally in many chemical forms - all manufactured at once by the body. The 3 highest occuring naturally occuring forms found in everyone are the 22k, the 17k and 20k forms.
The manufactured form is just the 22k variety. The ratios/porportions of the occuring forms would be off in any athlete who has taken it in comparison to the 17k/20k naturally occuring levels.
They will probably have the test polished with the evidence in hand to detect this form of cheating before the next summer Olympics at the latest. Many governments of the world are pouring a LOT of money into the effort. The detecting test is in place, but the statistical analysis to scientifically prove it's effectiveness is still underway.
Within a couple more years, they may as WELL be taking battery acid. It may be less detectable!!!!
In addition, there was an outbreak of CJD in some users of human growth hormone (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). The hormone used to be extracted from Cadavers at that time, so it was rare and expensive. The CJD was a disease with an occurance of about 1/1,000,000 except in one profession, where it seemed to be an occupational hazard ... pathologists. The CJD turned the brain into a spongy mass and was always fatal. The only other area where there was a high natural occurance was in primitive island tribes where canabalism was still practiced. That's why they turned to the artificial form, the natural form was too dangerous.
In 1996, (about the time of the Atlanta Games) a Latvian company started to distribute hGh that it was "harvesting" from cadavers, re-introducing the potential of CJD showing up in the general population. Obviously, if a child has prescription for needed hGh, then the source will be from a trusted manufacturer. If someone is getting the product on the black market, it is very questionable what the actual source would be and that's one heck of a risk to be taking.
About the manufactured form of hGh ... hGh occurs naturally in many chemical forms - all manufactured at once by the body. The 3 highest occuring naturally occuring forms found in everyone are the 22k, the 17k and 20k forms.
The manufactured form is just the 22k variety. The ratios/porportions of the occuring forms would be off in any athlete who has taken it in comparison to the 17k/20k naturally occuring levels.
They will probably have the test polished with the evidence in hand to detect this form of cheating before the next summer Olympics at the latest. Many governments of the world are pouring a LOT of money into the effort. The detecting test is in place, but the statistical analysis to scientifically prove it's effectiveness is still underway.
Within a couple more years, they may as WELL be taking battery acid. It may be less detectable!!!!