Thousands of US women seek HGH replacement therapy each year to treat hypopituitarism, a condition in which the pituitary gland does not produce enough human growth hormone (HGH). Not all HGH marketed to American women is the same. Some products are safe and effective and others are not. Likewise, some have earned recognition from the US Drugs Administration and others have not.
Here, we will separate the truly effective, high-quality HGH supplements from those of lower quality and/or safety. Always exercise caution when searching for an HGH product, use your best judgment, and rely on expert opinions like the ones contained here to protect your health.
Why Do Women Take HGH and What Are the Pros?
Doctors prescribe HGH to women when their bodies do not produce enough on their own. Affordable, convenient testing can determine the presence of an HGH deficiency. HGH levels in women often decline over time, with worsening symptoms as women enter midlife and beyond. The chart below shows the typical drop-in HGH (via measurements of its partner hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1, or IGF-1) through the lifespan.
To treat an HGH deficiency, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) provides a wealth of benefits, including:
- Supercharged metabolism (fat burning)
- Lean muscle development.
- Bone and joint support.
- Greater energy levels.
- Softer, healthier skin and hair.
- More youthful appearance.
The Signs of HGH Deficiency
Often, due to lifestyle factors, illness, or injury, the pituitary gland loses its normal ability to produce and distribute enough HGH to sustain health. This leads to the development of a condition called “hypopituitarism”. The signs and symptoms of hypopituitarism, or HGH deficiency, can include:
- Unwanted weight gain.
- Hoarse voice.
- Muscle weakness.
- Dry skin.
- Chronic fatigue.
- Cold sensitivity.
How Does Pharmaceutical HGH Affect a Woman’s Body?
HGH is a 100%-natural hormone that is normally produced by a woman’s pituitary gland. As an important component of the overall endocrine system, HGH interacts with multiple organs, glands, tissues, and other hormones to perform its work. Pharmaceutical HGH exerts the exact same effects in a woman’s body that natural HGH does.
Later on, we will explore the various types of HGH products available to US women with a particular focus on somatropin. Somatropin — the only HGH medication that is approved for safety and effectiveness by the Main Medication Administration – is a synthetic version of naturally-occurring HGH. The body cannot distinguish somatropin from natural HGH manufactured by the pituitary gland.
The bottom line: Somatropin (pharmaceutical HGH) is extremely well-tolerated by the majority of women who take it because it perfectly matches the molecular structure of natural HGH.
Types of HGH on the Market in 2021
The types of HGH on the market in 2021 for women can be broken down into roughly two categories:
- Non-injectable HGH supplements (pills, sprays, patches and gels).
- Injectable HGH supplements (somatropin).
Non-Injectable HGH Supplements for Women: Effectiveness, Price, and Safety
If you browse the web looking for information on human growth hormone, you are sure to be bombarded with ads for “HGH pills,” “HGH sprays,” or “HGH gels.” Distinguishing high-quality oral and topical HGH supplements from the low-quality ones can be difficult. Some are moderately effective at producing their intended results while others are not.
What’s important to remember is that many oral HGH supplements, particularly those that come in pill form, are essentially just amino acid formulations with sprinklings of added herbs. Another important consideration is that unregulated HGH products may be what the World Health Organization calls “false” or “substandard,” meaning that they might contain fake ingredients, may not contain the active ingredients on the label, and/or may contain additives that endanger health such as synthetic chemicals.
With no oversight from third parties or the government, there’s no way to know for sure what you are getting when you purchase HGH pills or similar products. With that caveat aside, here are the most prominent HGH pills, patches, and sprays on the market:
- GenF20 Plus. Of all the oral HGH products, GenF20 Plus is the most legitimate – because it has some clinical backing to support its claims of boosting HGH and its partner hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). However, researchers who have looked into GenF20 Plus add a note of caution: “Further studies with longer treatment duration and large sample size are warranted to understand the clinical benefits.”
- HGH-24000-Patch.
- Provacyl. Like the other oral HGH supplements discussed here, Provacyl contains various amino acids. It also contains other ingredients such as ginkgo Biloba, ginseng, an acai fruit extracts.
- Crazy Bulk HGH-X2.
- Growth Factor-9. GF-9 is essentially an amino acid formulation that is marketed as an HGH booster by its manufacturer, Novex Biotech. GF-9 contains an assortment of amino acids such as l-lysine and l-arginine.
- HGH Power Patch.
The bottom line on non-injectable HGH supplements is that, while some are better-quality than others, this category of products is not evaluated by the drugs administration or other regulatory body, so essentially you can’t be sure about what you are getting. Use with caution, consult with your doctor before taking any product, and do your due diligence in terms of research.
Injectable HGH Supplements for Women: Effectiveness, Price, and Safety
Injectable HGH is called “somatropin.” As a highly effective, safe, well-studied medication with decades of use in clinics across the world, somatropin is the “gold standard” of HGH supplements. The somatropin formulations (and their manufacturers) that are licensed to distribute HGH in the United States are:
- Norditropin – (Novo Nordisk).
- Humatrope – (Eli Lilly).
- Saizen – (EMD Serono).
- Omnitrope – (Sandoz).
- Genotropin – (Pfizer).
- Zomacton – (Ferring).
The bottom line on injectable HGH: Individuals with diagnosed growth hormone deficiencies require somatropin. This medication is superior to other forms of HGH because of its molecular similarity to natural HGH, its reliable effectiveness, and its lengthy safety record.
The Steps From Start to Finish: How to Find the Best HGH
If you suspect an HGH deficiency based on the symptoms discussed earlier (unwanted weight gain, dry skin, low energy, etc.), here are the steps that you can take to recover your health, improve your appearance, and regain your energy:
- Contact an experienced endocrinologist (hormone doctor) to discuss your concerns and book an appointment.
- If your doctor believes that you might be a good candidate for HRT, visit a local lab to submit a small blood sample for testing. Your doctor can help you locate a convenient testing center near your home.
- The lab analyzes your test results and forwards them to your doctor.
- Your doctor assesses your HGH levels and any other factors to consider. Then, working together, you and your doctor create an individualized therapy plan.
- You begin hormone replacement therapy under the care and supervision of your doctor.
Within a matter of weeks, you can expect to begin to see and feel the benefits of therapy, starting with improved energy levels and mood. The maximum benefits of HGH therapy accrue over time, with the greatest improvements becoming apparent over the course of a year.
How Women Can Find the Right HGH Dosage
One of the aspects of your personalized HGH therapy plan that you and your doctor will consider is finding the right HGH dosage for you. As a reference guide, it’s important to understand normal HGH levels in women’s bodies when assessing your own supplementation needs:
*The figures below are presented in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).
| Normal HGH Levels | ||
| Adult Men | Adult Women | Children |
| 0.4-10 ng/mL | 1-14 ng/mL | 10 to 50 ng/mL |
The optimal HGH dosage for you depends on a careful weighing of several factors, including:
- Your age.
- Your height and weight.
- Your sex (female in this case).
- Your current HGH levels (i.e., the severity of your deficiency)
Researchers and doctors generally recommend an ideal beginning HGH dose of 0.6 IU/day, with incremental increases as needed. Your doctor will check your progress with further blood tests after a month of therapy, then adjust your dosage as necessary.
How to Extend the Benefits of HGH Supplementation and Maintain HGH Levels
Maintaining high HGH levels does not start and end with HRT; you must optimize your daily habits to sustain the benefits that you achieve. The best natural ways to extend the benefits of HGH supplementation and support greater HGH concentrations in the blood over the long term are:
- Exercise. Any type of exercise is beneficial for overall hormone balance and HGH in particular. However, if your primary goal is boosting HGH levels, programs like weightlifting or high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT) are the best.
- Sleep. 7-9 hours of nightly sleep are critical for supporting HGH levels. The sleep-HGH connection is so important because the pituitary gland releases the greatest amount of HGH during the nighttime as part of the body’s natural circadian rhythm.
- Increase essential amino acid uptake. As we explored earlier, many of the oral HGH supplements on the market are just glorified amino acid formulas. To manufacture enough HGH, the human body needs adequate amounts of the 11 essential amino acids that it cannot produce on its own. You can make sure that you are fueling your body with the raw materials it needs for maximum HGH by eating more eggs, fish, turkey, mushrooms, and beans. Amino acid supplements can also help.
- Supplement with melatonin. Melatonin boosts HGH in two ways. First, because of its role in regulating the circadian rhythm, melatonin promotes restful sleep. Secondly, melatonin itself has a direct HGH-boosting effect.
The Bottom Line on the Best HGH Supplements for Women in 2021
Somatropin, the only HGH supplement approved by the government authority for treating growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in women, is the “gold standard” of HGH products. Some sprays or gels may have limited benefits, but you can source most of the raw materials contained inside (amino acids) from the diet.
With the right modifications to your everyday lifestyle and an individualized therapy plan, you will equip your body with the tools that it needs to health itself and sustain your health and wellness for the long term.