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'Miracle' HGH's Awful Truth: It May Not Work

Testimonials aside, study shows hormone benefits few patients

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 20, 2008 12:31 PM CST
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(Newser) – Here’s the list of people human growth hormone is proven to help: the elderly, AIDS and tuberculosis patients, and people with hormone deficiencies. Baseball players aren’t on that list, Newsweek reports, and neither are thousands of ordinary people who believe HGH slows the aging process. “There’s a great deal of hype,” said one endocrinologist, “but there isn’t a great deal of evidence.”

For the elderly, who have stopped producing HGH naturally, the hormone is very beneficial, but younger people—like, say, pitcher Roger Clemens—are already producing plenty. Of course, clubhouse wisdom contradicts that. Team doctors swear it cuts recovery time in half. “Our observations tell us it works,” said a former NFL physician, “and it works well.”

Debbie Clemens, wife of former New York Yankees baseball pitcher Roger Clemens, left, looks toward her husband on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, as he testified before the House Oversight, and Government Reform committee hearing on drug use in baseball. When Clemens said his wife had used...
Debbie Clemens, wife of former New York Yankees baseball pitcher Roger Clemens, left, looks toward her husband on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, as he testified before the House...   (Associated Press)
  (Shutterstock)
Athletes aren't the only ones taking HGH - many use it believing, without any evidence, that it is a fountain of youth.
Athletes aren't the only ones taking HGH - many use it believing, without any evidence, that it is a fountain of youth.   (Shutterstock)
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elderly • steroids • Roger Clemens • Andy Pettitte • human growth hormone • studies • health research • performance-enhancing drugs

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