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Half Life Of HGH
Read the Following article on "Half Life Of HGH".
What Is The Half-life Of HGH?
Human growth hormone is a remarkable hormone. It is secreted by the somatotrope cells of the pituitary gland in response to growth and development demands of the body. Growth hormone is a protein-based poly-peptide hormone. It stimulates growth and cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. It is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide hormone that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior pituitary gland.
However, after our childhood and puberty years, human growth hormone production also ceases. That is why many manufacturers have deemed it necessary to produce artificial human growth hormone. The concern about this is the half-life of human growth hormone. How long does it take for us to say that the drug is becoming effective or taking effect on our bodies?
The Half Life of HGH
First, let us review what a drug half life is. The half life of a drug refers to the duration it takes for half of a given drug dosage to break down in the body. Half life is the concern of most manufacturers of anabolic steroids, since natural steroid hormones have very short half lives. For example, testosterone has a half-life of only a few minutes in the blood and from the site of injection it is well short of one hour. It is also so easily processed by the liver, that when you take it orally only a tiny fraction will actually be intact by the time it reaches the blood.
Human growth hormone, because it is a natural hormone, has the tendency of having a short-half life. However, synthetically processed HGH has made it possible to extend the molecule’s half-life. This is because of several processes which have made this possible. 17alpha alkylation is a process in which an extra carbon atom is added to the steroid molecule at the 17th position. This atom occupies a bond needed for the steroid to reduce to inactive 17-keto form, totally inhibiting this pathway of metabolism. The addition of 17 alkylation works to extend the half-life of the steroid considerably. With it we present we have half-lives measured in hours instead of only minutes. This alteration is the most favorable for oral dosing of human growth hormone. Since the liver cannot process this type of steroid well, a large percentage will make it to the blood stream intact. It however is also somewhat toxic to the liver, and therefore less than ideal, especially if we are considering another avenue of administration such as injection.
Most injectable human growth hormone compounds use esters to increase their half-lives in the body. Esterification is a process where a carboxylic acid is attached to the steroid molecule at the 17th beta position. One purpose of this is to protect its active 17-hydroxyl group. It is a prime target of steroid metabolism, and with the ester present this is prevented. The ester also makes the steroid compound more oil soluble. This makes it more difficult for the blood to pick it up and carry it into circulation, and likewise slows the rate the drug can leave the injection site. As a result, an inactive deposit of steroid can sit at the site of injection, releasing slowly for days or weeks into the blood stream. Once free in the blood the ester is removed quickly by enzymes, and the base steroid is rendered active. This is how injectable human growth hormone remains active in the bloodstream for many days.
Human growth hormone is a remarkable hormone. It is secreted by the somatotrope cells of the pituitary gland in response to growth and development demands of the body. Growth hormone is a protein-based poly-peptide hormone. It stimulates growth and cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. It is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide hormone that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior pituitary gland.
However, after our childhood and puberty years, human growth hormone production also ceases. That is why many manufacturers have deemed it necessary to produce artificial human growth hormone. The concern about this is the half-life of human growth hormone. How long does it take for us to say that the drug is becoming effective or taking effect on our bodies?
The Half Life of HGH
First, let us review what a drug half life is. The half life of a drug refers to the duration it takes for half of a given drug dosage to break down in the body. Half life is the concern of most manufacturers of anabolic steroids, since natural steroid hormones have very short half lives. For example, testosterone has a half-life of only a few minutes in the blood and from the site of injection it is well short of one hour. It is also so easily processed by the liver, that when you take it orally only a tiny fraction will actually be intact by the time it reaches the blood.
Human growth hormone, because it is a natural hormone, has the tendency of having a short-half life. However, synthetically processed HGH has made it possible to extend the molecule’s half-life. This is because of several processes which have made this possible. 17alpha alkylation is a process in which an extra carbon atom is added to the steroid molecule at the 17th position. This atom occupies a bond needed for the steroid to reduce to inactive 17-keto form, totally inhibiting this pathway of metabolism. The addition of 17 alkylation works to extend the half-life of the steroid considerably. With it we present we have half-lives measured in hours instead of only minutes. This alteration is the most favorable for oral dosing of human growth hormone. Since the liver cannot process this type of steroid well, a large percentage will make it to the blood stream intact. It however is also somewhat toxic to the liver, and therefore less than ideal, especially if we are considering another avenue of administration such as injection.
Most injectable human growth hormone compounds use esters to increase their half-lives in the body. Esterification is a process where a carboxylic acid is attached to the steroid molecule at the 17th beta position. One purpose of this is to protect its active 17-hydroxyl group. It is a prime target of steroid metabolism, and with the ester present this is prevented. The ester also makes the steroid compound more oil soluble. This makes it more difficult for the blood to pick it up and carry it into circulation, and likewise slows the rate the drug can leave the injection site. As a result, an inactive deposit of steroid can sit at the site of injection, releasing slowly for days or weeks into the blood stream. Once free in the blood the ester is removed quickly by enzymes, and the base steroid is rendered active. This is how injectable human growth hormone remains active in the bloodstream for many days.