As people age, their fat-to-body weight ratio typically increases, especially around the midsection. This abdominal fat, known as visceral fat, can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to get rid of once it starts to accumulate.
Fortunately, clinical trials have shown that Human Growth Hormone (HGH) can help people reduce this belly fat. HGH helps burn fat by making it available as an energy source for the body. Obese individuals typically produce lower levels of HGH, which can make it more difficult to lose fat.
What causes a hormonal belly?
Hormone imbalances can cause an accumulation of fat around the stomach, which is often referred to as a “hormonal belly”. This is a result of the hormones that regulate metabolism, stress, hunger, and sex drive not being in balance.
Conditions such as thyroid problems, Cushing syndrome, and other health issues can lead to abdominal bloating, discomfort, and weight gain.
HGH therapy may be an effective solution in cases where the abdominal fat is due to imbalances in hormones such as cortisol, testosterone, and estrogen. However, more research is needed to determine its effectiveness in cases of leptin resistance.
Cortisol, HGH and Belly Fat
When a person is feeling anxious or under stress, the body will increase the production of cortisol in order to activate the fight-or-flight response. This leads to the redistribution of fat to the stomach, chest, and face.
However, if the body is producing high levels of cortisol over a prolonged period, it can lead to more serious conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome, heart problems, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
Certain drugs, specifically glucocorticoids, can cause Cushing’s, and pituitary tumors are also known to cause the disease.
Long-term exposure to high cortisol levels can be detrimental to a person’s health, and it is important to take steps to reduce stress levels and cortisol production in order to stay healthy.
Cortisol and Human Growth Hormone
If your body has high cortisol levels, it means that it is prioritizing cortisol over dopamine.
This can result from an imbalance in work-life balance, lack of restful sleep, or chronic stress.
Cortisol supports dopamine when an individual is under stress, as it helps to replenish dopamine that was burned off. However, if cortisol levels remain high for too long, complications can arise.
Your body may become dependent on cortisol for energy, and it can lead to fat gain around the stomach.
People who are chronically stressed may have a false sense of control and find satisfaction in it. To reduce cortisol levels, it is important to focus on the “warming and cooling Neurotransmitters” pathway of enhancing HGH levels and ensure that work-life balance is restored.
Role of Teststerone, Estrogen and Leptin in belly fat
It has been suggested that leptin levels in the body are linked to the amount of fat stored. Generally, those who are overweight possess higher levels of leptin, which should signal to the brain that the body has enough energy stored.
However, if the brain fails to register this signal, leptin resistance can occur.
The exact cause of this phenomenon is not fully understood, though genetic factors and brain chemistry changes may be involved.
Additionally, some studies have found that men with obesity have low testosterone levels, while high estrogen levels in males under 60 can cause weight gain. In women, reduced estrogen levels can lead to an increase in abdominal fat during menopause.
Connection between HGH and Obesity
Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) can lead to an accumulation of fat, particularly around the abdomen and internal organs, which increases the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
This is due to the adipose tissue around the abdomen being particularly sensitive to the catabolic effects of growth hormone and, without adequate levels of this hormone present, it becomes easier for fat to accumulate in this area.
As a result, those with GHD will experience an increase in their waist circumference and body fat percentage, as well as other metabolic parameters such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Obesity is another metabolic condition which can further reduce levels of GH in those with GHD. This is because obesity causes changes to several regulatory hormones which affect the synthesis of HGH.
For example, the hormones insulin and somatostatin are increased while ghrelin levels are decreased, leading to a suppression of HGH production. However, studies have shown that this suppression can be reversed once weight loss has occurred.
How HGH helps weight loss & treating obesity?
Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) is an important enzyme that helps break down fat. Growth hormone (GH) has been found to stimulate HSL activity and initiate fat mobilization from adipose tissues approximately 1-2 hours after its peak secretion.
In addition, GH prevents the re-entry of fatty acids into adipose cells by blocking lipoprotein lipase (LPL).
This allows fatty acids to be used for energy by muscle cells, but not be stored back in fat cells.
Subsequently, growth hormone therapy helps reduce fat accumulation in abdominal and internal organs, a common symptom of growth hormone deficiency.
Patients on HGH therapy also report improved muscle mass, energy levels, cholesterol, sleep, mood, and memory.
Human growth hormone (HGH) has been studied and found to have multiple effects on fat cells.
Firstly, it binds to the growth hormone receptor on fat cells, triggering a process called lipolysis, which breaks down fat.
Secondly, HGH inhibits the effect of insulin, which otherwise promotes the creation of fat cells. This helps to prevent the formation of excess fat, thus breaking the cycle of increased fat cells leading to decreased production of growth hormone.
Research has demonstrated that taking HGH can help reduce both visceral and subcutaneous fat in both men and women. Moreover, it has been found to reduce cardiovascular risk markers, as well as improve glucose tolerance. Four studies in particular have focused on the effect of HGH on visceral fat, with promising results.
Studies on HGH and abdominal fat
1). This study investigated the effects of GH (Growth Hormone) administration over a six-week period on abdominal subcutaneous adipocyte size and CT attenuation in men with abdominal obesity.
Through a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the researchers found that GH administration at doses that raised IGF-1 levels within the normal range had a positive effect on subcutaneous abdominal adipocyte size.
This suggests that GH administration may improve the health of adipose tissue in men with abdominal obesity.
The findings of this study demonstrate the potential for GH administration to reduce abdominal adipocyte size, which could in turn help to improve the glucose tolerance of men with abdominal obesity.
2). Another study aimed to determine if the benefits of growth hormone (GH) treatment on cardiovascular risk markers, body composition, and glucose tolerance in obese women would remain after the treatment was stopped. The trial was a 6-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of GH versus placebo, followed by a 6-month withdrawal and observation period.
The results of the study showed that GH administration led to improved body composition, with a reduction in trunk fat, increased thigh muscle, and increased lean mass. Additionally, GH reduced cardiovascular risk markers and improved glucose tolerance. However, when the participants stopped taking GH, the positive outcomes disappeared.
3). This study aimed to investigate the effects of growth hormone (GH) treatment on insulin sensitivity, abdominal fat, hepatic fat content, thigh muscle, total body fat and fat-free mass in postmenopausal women with abdominal obesity. The design of the study was a 12-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The results showed that GH treatment reduced visceral fat mass, increased thigh muscle area, reduced total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In addition, GH treatment improved insulin sensitivity and reduced abdominal visceral fat and LDL cholesterol after one year. These results suggest that GH treatment may be beneficial for postmenopausal women with abdominal obesity.
4). This research study was designed to assess the impact of physiological growth hormone replacement on cardiovascular risk factors and body composition in women with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). The study was conducted over a 6-month period and was randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind.
The results indicated that low-dose growth hormone replacement had a positive effect on total and visceral adipose tissue and improved cardiovascular markers, even with only a slight increase in IGF-1 levels and without increasing insulin resistance. These findings suggest that growth hormone replacement could be an effective treatment for improving cardiovascular markers and reducing body fat in women with GHD.
5). The use of tesamorelin, a growth-hormone-releasing factor, was studied in an effort to reduce the abdominal fat deposits of HIV lipodystrophy patients receiving combination drug therapy for HIV infection. The results of the study showed that tesamorelin was successful in reducing deep abdominal fat and improving the metabolic aspects of HIV lipodystrophy.
This indicates that inducing the release of endogenous growth hormone could be an effective strategy for reducing fat deposits and improving lipid abnormalities in HIV-infected patients, thereby decreasing their risk for cardiovascular disease. In addition, this method of treatment appears to be safe and effective, providing patients with a viable option for improving their health outcomes.