What do Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Viagra have in common? Actually, more than you might think. HGH has garnered attention recently, in medical circles and the anti-aging industry, to address the flagging hormone production that occurs naturally with the aging process.
And Viagra? You’re very familiar with that. Introduced in 1998 by Pfizer, Viagra quickly became a household item, as the erectile dysfunction pill of choice in aging bedrooms from the United States to the United Kingdom. And though it’s lost some stride since those heady days when it first it the market Viagra sales remain strong.
Viagra works for some men. But some doctors question whether Viagra is little more than an easy fix for patients who complain of erectile dysfunction. In fact, some doctors contend that Viagra doesn’t work for half of men who take it. The reason? Low testosterone, which is responsible for 40%, or one in five of men who suffer from some form of impotence.
Curiously, advocates of Human Growth Hormone point to boosted sexual function and heightened libido as benefits of some HGH releasers. By stimulating the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, HGH supplements increase hormone levels in users, encourage testosterone production, and, as advocates claim, address the root cause of erectile dysfunction in many men.
You might, therefore, be curious if HGH or Viagra is a better solution for erectile dysfunction.
First, let’s review symptoms of low testosterone. They include:
- inability to get an erection
- loss of interest in sex
- fatigue
- mood swings
- insomnia
While testosterone production tapers off with age, low testosterone levels can reveal deeper, more serious health problems, including diabetes and heart disease. In fact, many doctors believe that erectile dysfunction is a warning sign for elevated risk of heart attack.
We should clarify that growth hormone is a protein-based peptide hormone that’s responsible for cell growth and regeneration. Of the major hormones in the male body, testosterone and growth hormone production both plummet with age, at about ten per cent per decade. Erectile dysfunction is a common symptom of lower testosterone and growth hormone in men.
We should also clarify that growth hormone is produced naturally by the body, whereas Human Growth Hormone is synthetic, and available only through injections. Human Growth Hormone is technically synthetic growth hormone, however the moniker is so synonymous with supplements and anti-aging pills that this article defines HGH as natural supplements, of botanicals and amino acids.
Should you buy HGH supplements or Viagra?
A growing list of evidence suggests that if you want to address a major cause of erectile dysfunction – less testosterone – you should choose growth hormone over Viagra. The former encourages the body to produce growth hormone, and possibly testosterone. Viagra does not. And HGH pills might be safer. Side effects of Viagra include itching, blurry vision, and in some cases, permanent hearing loss.
Granted, the anti-aging industry is an emerging field, and we’ve only begun to tap the potential of growth hormone and its immensity. But it’s important to note that HGH releasers do not contain growth hormone; they merely encourage the body to produce it naturally, with botanicals and amino acids.
But it’s food for thought, that HGH supplements might serve the same function as Viagra, and treat the causes of erectile dysfunction in the process. The evidence for HGH over Viagra? At least one study shows that one of the more prominent HGH supplements, Provacyl, increased frequency and enjoyment of sex in 75% of users. Viagra’s at 50%, and that’s just for one session.
