Unlock the Benefits of HGH: Burn Fat, Strengthen Your Bones and Protect Your Memory
The best part? It couldn't be easier!
While many may think of human growth hormone (HGH) as something that benefits gym fanatics looking to build muscle or improve their athletic performance, it’s actually a natural hormone produced by the pituitary gland. And it’s so important (it affects nearly every cell in the body) that researchers have dubbed it the “master hormone”.
The problem? HGH production declines over time, with an even sharper drop for women going through menopause, according to a study in the journal Human Reproduction Update. Here we explain why it’s so important to keep your HGH levels up, plus how to do it naturally.
The benefits of HGH
HGH plays a vital role in your overall health. It helps keep your metabolism humming and blood sugar steady. But the benefits of HGH don’t stop there. Here’s what else it can do:
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- It protects against bone loss
- It builds stronger muscles
- It revs fat-burning
- It keeps your mood and memory sharp
How to boost HGH production naturally
Good news for women who want to combat HGH deficiencies during middle age and reap the health benefits: Doing so is easier than you may think!
Savor steak and eggs
Both beef and eggs are rich in glutamine, an amino acid that stimulates HGH release. In fact, findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggest that increasing your daily intake of glutamine by 2 grams (the amount in a 3-oz. steak plus two eggs) can spur a significant HGH increase within one week. Other tasty foods that deliver a glutamine boost: Pork, poultry, milk, yogurt and cheese.
Work in walk breaks
Walking around your house while talking on the phone, watering houseplants or waiting for your coffee to brew does more than burn calories: In an Indonesian study, women who walked for 90 minutes weekly (that’s 13 minutes daily) lifted their HGH levels by 81 percent in four weeks.
Study authors explain that moderate exercise activates a brain region called the hypothalamus, which signals the pituitary gland to secrete HGH. Plus, HGH is released as a natural response to the drop in blood sugar that’s triggered during exercise.
Take a hot bath
Immersing your body in warm water is oh-so-relaxing. Plus, it stimulates thermoreceptors in the skin that prompt the release of HGH. So say Slovakian scientists, who found folks’ HGH levels soared after soaking in a warm bath for 15 minutes.
And in a HGH-boosting bonus, findings in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews reveal the drop in body temperature that occurs after taking a warm bath an hour or two before bedtime helps you fall asleep faster and sleep more peacefully. That’s key, since HGH surges during restful sleep.
Supplement with green tea
Compounds called catechins found in green tea have an impressive ability to defend against the cell damage that can impede HGH production. That’s the reason investigators reporting in journal Alternative Medicine Reviews found that taking 300 mg of catechin-rich green tea extract daily increased study participants’ HGH levels by a whopping 321 percent in 90 days. A supplement that contains the extract used in the study: Vitacost Synergy Green Tea Phytosome.
Tune into soft tunes
Love listening to soft background music while doing chores, running errands or just relaxing with a good book? Good for you! Research conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital reveals that listening to soothing tunes for one hour ups HGH by 113 percent.
Soothing music tamps down activity of the sympathetic nervous system, lowering the stress that can impede HGH release. Prefer to relax while watching TV? Take in a sitcom. Research conducted at Loma Linda University shows an hour of laughter lifts HGH by 87 percent for 24 hours.
Try melatonin
Research in Clinical Endocrinology suggests that if you aren’t getting enough sleep, or you aren’t sleeping deeply enough, HGH production can dip. To catch more Zzzs and boost your HGH levels naturally, take 1 to 3 mg of melatonin 30 minutes before bed. A study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests that supplementing with the sleep-inducing hormone may increase HGH levels.
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