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Should I use Human Growth Hormone ( HGH / Somatropin )?

OnionChris

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I have always considered myself a hardgainer. Been working out hard for 2 years. Gained strength but negligible size gains. I figured I wasn't eating enough or maybe not training properly or not sleeping enough.

Recently, I was traveling to an Asian country and there was a clinic there where you can go and for only about $200 get yourself tested for everything. They check vitamin levels, rbc count, lipids, liver function, hormone levels and so on. I got it done on an impulse.

When I got my reports, I noticed by HGH level was below lower end of reference range.
(See HGH report attached).



And I also noticed my Free Testosterone levels were close to lower-end of reference range. (See report attached)


I Googled about these hormones and reasoned that maybe I am a 'hardgainer' because I have lower hormone levels. My research into this also led me to the fact that Test supplementation suppresses your body's own test production. And when you get off your test-cycle, you start to lose your gains.

And HGH, on the other hand, gives you gains that are kind of permanent (as long as you continue to workout). But gains are slow. Maybe 1lb of muscle every 3 weeks. I am fine with that. I don't want to mess with my body's test production and I am fine with gaining 1 lb muscle / month.

Should I do HGH for 6 months?
If so, what dosage? Pharma-Grade 2iu for 5 days on and 2 days off?

I am 32 years old. 5"10. 160 lbs and about 16 to 18% body fat.
 
BF% is far to high to reap the full benefits of HGH. We need a lot more information. But I can tell you right off the bat without you having to tell us more, that you are not a candidate for HGH use when you have a 18% body fat and weigh 160 lbs. You said you have been working out hard for 2 years.....AND YOU STILL HAVE A 18% BF, 5'10, and are still ONLY 160lbs. ????

1) You either have absolutely no clue how to diet and train correctly or 2) you have some underlined medical problems. My guess is that you are not training and dieting correctly. 18% BF at 160 lbs. at 5'10 is...well,.....FAT. And someone who trained hard for 2 years would in no way have that high of a BF%.

Please read these threads about asking for advice....



http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/threads/189946-Helping-out-our-fellow-younger-brothers

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/threads/69292-Cycle-Advice





Should YOU be using HGH? IMHO.....NO....or any other compound for that matter. Lear how to train and eat. Hard gainers are people who don't know how to reach realistic goals with conventional methods.



/V
 
BF% is far to high to reap the full benefits of HGH. We need a lot more information. But I can tell you right off the bat without you having to tell us more, that you are not a candidate for HGH use when you have a 18% body fat and weigh 160 lbs. You said you have been working out hard for 2 years.....AND YOU STILL HAVE A 18% BF, 5'10, and are still ONLY 160lbs. ????

1) You either have absolutely no clue how to diet and train correctly or 2) you have some underlined medical problems. My guess is that you are not training and dieting correctly. 18% BF at 160 lbs. at 5'10 is...well,.....FAT. And someone who trained hard for 2 years would in no way have that high of a BF%.

Please read these threads about asking for advice....



http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/threads/189946-Helping-out-our-fellow-younger-brothers

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/threads/69292-Cycle-Advice





Should YOU be using HGH? IMHO.....NO....or any other compound for that matter. Lear how to train and eat. Hard gainers are people who don't know how to reach realistic goals with conventional methods.



/V

Thanks very much
18% BF - well, I am using the output from the machine at the gym. My trainer/training-buddy (not a proper certified personal trainer) has visible six-packs and the machine at the gym says his body fat is 15% and my trainer/training-partner-buddy says it's incorrect.

He thinks his BF is is 9 to 12%. So, it's possible that the machine at the gym may be showing BF% incorrectly? We've never really cared enough to get BF measured properly from somewhere else though. We stand barefoot on it, enter age, gender and it shows you your weight, body fat.

I say this because I am definitely not fat. I have always been very skinny but over last few years, I've reached average build.
 
No offense onion, but you have no lbm to speak of after 2 years of training which confirms Vz06 assumption that you truly lack understanding in regards to training and nutrition... you're "skinnyfat". He gave you good advice, take it:winkfinger:
 
No offense onion, but you have no lbm to speak of after 2 years of training which confirms Vz06 assumption that you truly lack understanding in regards to training and nutrition... you're "skinnyfat". He gave you good advice, take it:winkfinger:

Thanks! I definitely agree with VictorZ06 's advise here. All I am trying to say is - I've been working out hard for 2 years and although I have gained strength, I haven't gained size. That's my whole problem.

For eg: when I started, I used to bench empty-bar (45 lbs) with difficutly. Now, I bench 135 lbs (two full plates), sometimes a little more like full-plate + another 5 or 10 on each side for 5 reps x 5 sets . And yet ..I look the same! No visible increase in muscle mass or chest size etc.

Likewise, I used to squat an empty bar and now I squat a little more than my bodyweight (160-165 lbs) for 5 x 5.

Similar increase in shoulder strength, back strength (could barely do 1 pull-up and now I do 5 x 5 pullup set each with additional 25 lbs plate hanging of off my body as well.

But again, no visible increase in muscle mass or any visible definition. Sure, when I flex, I can see a slight (very slight) improvement but nothing much.

So.. okay, no HGH. And I am definitely not taking any steroid/test. So, what else can I do?
 
what else can I do?

Focus on training and eating. If you really need help, hire a nutritional specialist and a trainer to help you meet some of your goals. OR....you could read as many threads and stickies that we have here and on other boards as possible to help answer any of your questions. Keep clear of any anabolics of hormones....you are miles away from that shit.




/V
 
Thanks! I definitely agree with VictorZ06 's advise here. All I am trying to say is - I've been working out hard for 2 years and although I have gained strength, I haven't gained size. That's my whole problem.

For eg: when I started, I used to bench empty-bar (45 lbs) with difficutly. Now, I bench 135 lbs (two full plates), sometimes a little more like full-plate + another 5 or 10 on each side for 5 reps x 5 sets . And yet ..I look the same! No visible increase in muscle mass or chest size etc.
5x5 protocol is strength training.
You want to train for hypertrophy, which increases the size of your muscle fibers.
Switch your reps to the 8-12 rep range. You should barely be able to finish your last rep.
You will have to lower the amount of weight to do this.
Train major body parts twice a week.
Keep the squats and learn to deadlift.
You will get there...
 
5x5 protocol is strength training.
You want to train for hypertrophy, which increases the size of your muscle fibers.
Switch your reps to the 8-12 rep range. You should barely be able to finish your last rep.
You will have to lower the amount of weight to do this.
Train major body parts twice a week.
Keep the squats and learn to deadlift.
You will get there...

Hi - yes, I have tried other routines too (for reasonably long periods).
Usual 4 day split ((3 exercises for each muscle group, 8 to 11 reps each set)):
Day 1: Chest & Triceps
Day 2: Back & Bicep
Day 3: Shoulders & Legs
Day 4: Chest, Back, Arms
I did this for about 1 year

Then, 4 months, I did German Volume Training (10 x 10 of 1 exercise at about 70% of my 1 rep-max).

then 4 months, I did split again

and for last 3-4 months, I have been doing Strong Lifts 5 x 5
 
You need a good DIET more then anything including training. If you are natural, you don't need to train as much as a guy juicing. I agree with the above posts, invest your money in a good trainer.
 
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You need a good DIET more then anything including training. If you are natural, you don't need to train as much as a guy juicing. I agree with the above posts, invest your money in a good trainer.
I do have a trainer of sorts. It's my friend - he is not a certified personal trainer but he has been training for 7+ years himself and knows more science/physiology than most trainers at the gym. He is fully ripped himself and I train with him 3x a week. 1x I workout on my own. We've been doing this for 2 years.

He doesn't do any steroids himeself but he does use stimulants like C4 and few protein shakes a day (I don't normally drink protein shakes or any supplement as such). Also, he is like 5 years younger than me and he started training when he was like 17. I started training at 29!

He thinks I am just a hard gainer and I don't eat well, don't sleep enough.

I KNOW he is right. I definitely need to improve my diet and increase my sleep (from normally 5-6 hours to 8 hours) but come on, in 2 years, I should still have started to see some visible definition or increase in size. This is why I have been looking into HGH.

But I agree with everyone here - HGH is probably not for me, not yet. Maybe another couple MORE years of training, improved diet and improved sleep.
 
I do have a trainer of sorts. It's my friend - he is not a certified personal trainer but he has been training for 7+ years himself and knows more science/physiology than most trainers at the gym. He is fully ripped himself and I train with him 3x a week. 1x I workout on my own. We've been doing this for 2 years.

He doesn't do any steroids himeself but he does use stimulants like C4 and few protein shakes a day (I don't normally drink protein shakes or any supplement as such). Also, he is like 5 years younger than me and he started training when he was like 17. I started training at 29!

He thinks I am just a hard gainer and I don't eat well, don't sleep enough.

I KNOW he is right. I definitely need to improve my diet and increase my sleep (from normally 5-6 hours to 8 hours) but come on, in 2 years, I should still have started to see some visible definition or increase in size. This is why I have been looking into HGH.

But I agree with everyone here - HGH is probably not for me, not yet. Maybe another couple MORE years of training, improved diet and improved sleep.

I see people train for years and not make results. I seen people do cardio for 1 hour and still are fat. You are not a hard gainer, you already said what your problem is, your DIET, and proper rest.
 
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