HGH stays in the blood stream for only a few minutes, but this is long enough to stimulate its uptake by the liver, causing the production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Growth hormone affects specific target tissues in its role as a chemical messenger, working with IGF-1 to affect uptake of nutrients into the cell. HGH helps boost the immune system, increase lean body mass, stimulate the neuroendocrine system, and balance and promote optimal physical and mental performance.

As with steroids and testosterone, athletes latched on to growth hormone as soon as they heard about its amazing muscle-building properties. The fact that, as of yet, it’s not detectable in a drug test is also a big drawing card.

The ironic thing about growth hormone is that, by itself, it only seems to do about half as much as it does when combined with testosterone. There are cases of bodybuilders packing on 50 pounds in six months. Guys who weighed 230 pounds for years turned up onstage weighing 260 or 270 pounds. Just by looking at photos over a six-month period, you can almost time it to the week when they started their first growth hormone cycle