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Human growth hormone (HGH) and testosterone are known for their ability to build muscle and enhance physical fitness. Are these hormones legal to use for bodybuilding? Are they safe? What does medical research say about HGH and testosterone replacement therapy for bodybuilding and increasing muscle mass? We answer these questions and more!
Before we get any further into this discussion, let’s be perfectly clear about one thing: It is illegal to use HGH or testosterone strictly for bodybuilding. Both of these hormones are banned as a performance-enhancing drug by every major bodybuilding sanctioning organization. Therefore, using it for any kind of competitive bodybuilding is entirely out of the question. However, if you are experiencing weight gain or muscle loss due to age-related hormone it is perfectly legal to do so. In fact, muscle gain, weight loss, and increased fitness are some of the primary benefits of each therapy for men over 40!
HGH is one of your body’s most important hormones. It is produced and released by the pituitary gland. As a child grows into a healthy adult of full strength and stature, it is HGH that is primarily responsible for growth, particularly of bones and muscles.
HGH is also a prescription medication used to treat patients with growth hormone deficiencies. Growth hormone deficiency, or GHD, can occur in children or adults. One of the primary symptoms of GHD is increased body fat, particularly belly fat, and a loss of lean muscle. HGH injections in patients suffering from GHD, including “adult-onset” or “age-related GHD,” reverse those symptoms and help such individuals significantly increase lean muscle. It is because of this clinically proven effect of HGH that people believe that it can help them bulk up when bodybuilding.
But, again, it is illegal to use HGH in professional bodybuilding circles. It is also against the law to use HGH by anyone for any purpose without a prescription or proper supervision by a healthcare professional.
HGH can be very beneficial for bodybuilding and increasing lean muscle mass.
There may be some confusion about whether it is legal or not to use HGH to build muscle and increase strength and athletic performance. It is illegal to use HGH for that purpose by professional athletes or by anyone with normal HGH levels without a prescription. However, HGH is by no means “illegal”; it is merely a drug that requires a prescription and medical supervision for safe use. In fact, for patients suffering from GHD the benefits of HGH for increasing strength and muscle can be remarkable!
Loss of muscle mass is a common problem in adults suffering from HGH deficiency. In such patients HGH can have a very positive impact on muscle growth and repair. This is because of the effect that HGH has on protein synthesis, which is essential to muscle growth, and on the production of collagen, which is critical in the repair of muscle support tissues such as tendons and ligaments.
The effects of growth hormone can help you get into better shape in so many other ways that it is often called “the fitness hormone.” Growth hormone therapy can help you lose weight by increasing your metabolism. This increased ability to burn fat not only leads to better body composition but also improves heart health and lowers your risks of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
In addition, despite its ban on competitive sports, HGH has received increased attention in the medical community for its potential to aid recovery from sports-related injuries.
A two-year study by the University of Michigan—funded by entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban—examined HGH’s role in recovery from ligament damage. The results showed that HGH helped accelerate muscle healing and improve strength in athletes recovering from ACL surgery, allowing them to return to their sport more quickly.
This emerging evidence supports the therapeutic potential of HGH for injury recovery—not just for athletes but for anyone leading an active lifestyle.
Testosterone is the most important male sex hormone. Testosterone is classified as an anabolic steroid, meaning it promotes protein synthesis and helps the body build muscle tissue. As men age, their natural testosterone levels begin to decline. With that drop comes a decreased ability to build lean muscle—even with regular workouts.
When testosterone levels are brought back into a healthy range through administration of testosterone injections, men often regain their ability to build muscle and burn fat. This shift can lead to noticeable changes in:
Testosterone therapy helps unlock your body’s natural ability to build and maintain lean muscle—something that becomes harder with age. Increased muscle tone and improved fitness are just a few ways that testosterone injections can improve your quality of life.
Testosterone plays a vital role in building muscle. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to add significant lean muscle mass without adequate testosterone levels. For men struggling with low energy, sluggish metabolism, or difficulty gaining strength despite exercise, low testosterone may be the root cause.
Testosterone therapy boosts muscle mass by activating androgen receptors located in muscle tissue. Once these receptors are triggered, they signal muscle cells to increase protein production. Over time, this elevated rate of protein synthesis leads to stronger, larger muscles.
This physiological process explains why men with healthy testosterone levels tend to build muscle more efficiently and recover more quickly from workouts.
Prescription testosterone therapy, particularly in injectable form, has been shown to improve lean body mass and muscle strength in men with low testosterone.
Multiple peer-reviewed studies and meta-analyses have confirmed that as a medical treatment testosterone therapy:
In fact, testosterone injections have proven to be 3 to 5 times more effective at promoting muscle growth than other delivery methods like gels or patches. This makes injections the preferred choice for men looking to optimize their fitness outcomes through hormone therapy.
Yes! Growth hormone therapy and TRT injections can be taken together and are often prescribed as a “one-two” punch to increase strength, stamina and muscle mass.
However, you must understand that HGH and testosterone can be taken together and are often prescribed for their synergistic effects in men who require hormone replacement therapy. However, that is not the same thing as “stacking” peptides and steroids as bodybuilders and weightlifters often do. As legitimate prescribers of HGH therapy and TRT for therapeutic purposes, Kingsberg Medical does not encourage HGH or testosterone use strictly for bulking up or improving athletic performance.
Therapeutically, TRT and growth hormone therapy can be prescribed together and often are in qualifying cases, particularly when a patient is diagnosed with both low testosterone and growth hormone deficiency. Combining these therapies can provide complementary benefits, as testosterone improves energy levels, sexual function, and muscle mass, while growth hormone enhances cell repair, fat metabolism, and overall vitality. Studies suggest that concurrent therapy has a synergistic effect, improving outcomes more significantly than either treatment alone. However, this combination must be closely monitored by a healthcare provider to ensure safe dosing, minimize potential side effects, and maximize results.
When it comes to safety, the primary consideration in using either of these medications safely is to only use HGH or testosterone with proper medical supervision. Both TRT and HGH injections can have significant side effects. The chances of severe, even fatal, adverse events go up substantially if you are using either hormone illegally.
Furthermore, if you really want to minimize the risks of either therapy, who you get your prescription for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) from makes a difference. You want to work with specialists like we have at Nexel Medical, who have years of experience in treating adults with HGH loss and other age-related hormone imbalances.
Also, any HGH or testosterone that you find for sale on our Product Pages will only be the safest and most effective name brands made by known US pharmaceutical companies. This is not the case with all other HRT clinics.
If you have been diagnosed with muscle loss due to low testosterone or age-related growth hormone deficiency and prescribed hormone therapy, it is perfectly legal to use HGH injections or TRT to build muscle. However, both hormones are officially classified as performance-enhancing substances by most professional and Olympic sports organizations.
Testosterone, a type of anabolic steroid, is known for increasing strength and stamina. HGH, due to its regenerative and muscle-building effects, has also earned its place on the list of banned substances in competitive sports. In fact, the International Olympic Committee banned HGH back in 1989, and nearly all US professional leagues have followed suit.
There have been several high-profile cases involving athletes and hormone use. One widely publicized case involved NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, though he was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing. Testosterone use is especially common in bodybuilding and professional wrestling, where competitors often seek to gain a physical edge.
It’s important to distinguish between illegal performance enhancement in sports and medically supervised hormone therapy. The fact that these substances are banned in professional sports is actually a testament to their effectiveness. For the everyday person, hormone therapy can safely enhance energy levels, endurance, and recovery—without the pressures or controversies of the competitive sports world.
There is significant evidence in the medical literature that verifies the efficacy of testosterone injections and HGH therapy for building muscle, burning fat, and increasing physical performance.
For example, a 2019 study looking at the impact of HGH replacement on muscle strength and tone in older men said, “Our study demonstrated an increase in muscle strength in the lower body part after HGH therapy in healthy men.” The study involved fourteen healthy men aged 50–70 years, whose baseline muscle strength was determined by leg press and bench press exercises, which focus primarily on quadriceps, the lower body part of the body, and pectoralis major—upper body part. After six months of HGH replacement therapy, the men in the HGH group did not show much difference in upper body strength, as determined by bench presses, but showed “significant” increases in lower body strength as indicated by vast improvements in strength in the leg presses.
An earlier study in 1997 found that two years of growth hormone therapy in patients who were known to have weakened muscles due to growth hormone deficiency provided significant increases in “isokinetic muscle torque.” The researchers concluded that this study provided “convincing evidence that HGH and IGF-I have a regulatory effect on muscle morphology, function, and metabolism.”
As to testosterone, a 2011 study on testosterone and increasing lean muscle mass found that the ideal “target” to build muscle was a range between 898 ng/dL and 1046 ng/dL. However, even that study concluded, “To enhance muscle strength and physical function, threshold improvements in lean body mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass are necessary, and these can be achieved by targeting changes in testosterone levels.”
Several meta-analyses (taking the combined data from several studies) have shown that testosterone therapy increases lean body mass and muscle strength in middle-aged and older men. These analyses also determined that testosterone injections were as much as 3 to 5 times more effective at increasing muscle mass, as opposed to gels and other testosterone therapy preparations.
Interestingly enough, while both growth hormone and testosterone can help you build muscle, get fit, and stay fit, that is hardly the only health benefit of hormone replacement.
When prescribed appropriately and monitored by medical professionals, testosterone and HGH therapy can provide a range of benefits, including:
Whether you are interested in HGH or testosterone for building muscle or their many other antiaging benefits, at Nexel Medical, we take a different approach to HGH Therapy and TRT. We consider ourselves your trusted partner in health. Our reputation is built on years of exceptional care and proven success stories from clients just like you. When you choose Nexel for growth hormone therapy or TRT, you’re not just receiving treatment—you’re gaining a partner committed to helping you thrive.
Getting started with growth hormone injections or testosterone replacement at Nexel is simple. Just click on the Contact Us link or complete our secure Online Medical History form. One of our representatives will contact you and, after asking a few questions about your age and symptoms, invite you to make an appointment for a complete physical exam, and then we will take it from there.
If our doctors think you may be the right fit for growth hormone therapy and/or testosterone replacement, we will schedule lab work to have your hormone levels tested. Should your lab tests reveal that you have low testosterone, age-related growth hormone deficiency, or both, you will be prescribed the necessary treatment plan customized to your fitness goals and lifestyle.
Isn’t time you looked better, felt stronger, and had more energy to do the things you love? Get started on the road to youth and vitality with hormone therapy from Nexel Medical today!
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