HGH and RT: the best combination?

bayardtrustin said:
Just wrapped up my first week on HGH at 2 IU and I’ve already noticed a big improvement in my sleep. I’m dosing first thing in the morning around 5:30 AM.

I’m about 15 lbs from my goal weight. The scale is still trending down, just slowly, but my clothes are definitely getting looser, which is encouraging.

So far, I’m really liking how things are going. I think I’ll be on H for the foreseeable future too.
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Isn't the preferable dose in the evening (fasted). Also how does the hgh reconstitution work? One treats ius as mgs?
 
Rickcaps said:
Isn't the preferable dose in the evening (fasted). Also how does the hgh reconstitution work? One treats ius as mgs?
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I've read that consistency is more important than when H is taken. Besides, my lifestyle doesn't allow me to take it before bed (evenings) fasted. ius are not mgs, so you definitely will want to understand that before recon. Ai is an excellent resource to help break down the math.
 
Thanks for these write ups. I have been interested in HGH mainly for recovery, but am a bit unsure if I really want to go down this road. I am going to try some of the secretagogues this summer first, but I like reading how it is going for others, especially because you're taking what seems to be reasonable doses.
 
For what it's worth, and something I forgot to mention in my previous post, sleep hasn't really improved.

I track my sleep with a Samsung smart watch and an Oura ring. Neither have shown to reflect better sleep scores. Odd because lots report better recovery. Its hard to say if I've experience better recovery but I do find I don't get muscle soreness hardly ever now.

I'll keep updating if I remember and people want to know!
 
Great discussion. Thank you for sharing your journey. I ordered some HGH with the same hopes. I just started TRT about 4 weeks ago, and seeing some nice muscle gains. Started due to low T, not just the gains. But have put on 5lbs of muscle in the last 2 weeks, but less than 1 lb of fat lost.

Planning on starting HGH at 2 iu, was debating at night, as I need some help with sleep, but sounds like am doses still have great effect on sleep. I will try am first and shift to pm if needed. I am trying to reduce my body fat. I have lost 35lbs on sema previously, but switched to Reta about 2 months ago. Not seeing much change on scale, but nice body recomp so far. BF is around 27% right now, and trying to get it below 20% with an ultimate target of 15-17%.

I am 52, and have found putting muscle on very difficult. I have been lifting heavy and consistent for the last year, and even tried a mild bulk phase, but only put on fat, not muscle. TRT has been a game changer for me, looking forward to seeing how HGH will factor in.
 
MikeyMike said:
Great discussion. Thank you for sharing your journey. I ordered some HGH with the same hopes. I just started TRT about 4 weeks ago, and seeing some nice muscle gains. Started due to low T, not just the gains. But have put on 5lbs of muscle in the last 2 weeks, but less than 1 lb of fat lost.

Planning on starting HGH at 2 iu, was debating at night, as I need some help with sleep, but sounds like am doses still have great effect on sleep. I will try am first and shift to pm if needed. I am trying to reduce my body fat. I have lost 35lbs on sema previously, but switched to Reta about 2 months ago. Not seeing much change on scale, but nice body recomp so far. BF is around 27% right now, and trying to get it below 20% with an ultimate target of 15-17%.

I am 52, and have found putting muscle on very difficult. I have been lifting heavy and consistent for the last year, and even tried a mild bulk phase, but only put on fat, not muscle. TRT has been a game changer for me, looking forward to seeing how HGH will factor in.
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Food for thought:

NOTE: Growth hormone is measured in IU (international units) and mg (milligrams):

1 mg = 3 IU

1 IU = 0.33 mg

Starting dose:

• Age below 30 years:

1.2 – 1.5 IU per day (0.4 – 0.5 mg/day) (may be higher for patients transitioning from pediatric treatment)

• Age 30-60 years:

0.6 – 0.9 IU per day (0.2 – 0.3 mg/day)

• Age over 60 years:

0.3 -0.6 IU per day (0.1-0.2 mg/day)

Patient with diabetes or who are susceptible to insulin resistance / glucose intolerance should use the lowest starting dose (0.3 -0.6 IU per day) regardless of age.

Subcutaneous injections are usually administered in the evening to mimic physiologic nocturnal GH secretion.

Dose escalation (titration):

At 1- to 2-month intervals, increase dose in increments of 0.3 -0.6 IU per day (0.1-0.2 mg/day) based on clinical response, blood IGF-1 levels, side effects, and individual considerations such as insulin resistance / glucose intolerance.

Longer time intervals and smaller dose increments may be necessary in older patients.

Goal with GH treatment:

Aim for blood IGF-I levels in the middle of the normal range appropriate for age and sex, unless side effects are significant. Consider a trial of higher GH doses to determine whether this provides further benefit as long as the serum IGF-I levels remain within the normal range and the patient does not experience side effects.

Monitoring:

While IGF-1 levels are not a good indicator of GH status, the usefulness of IGF-1 for monitoring treatment of GH disorders in adulthood is now widely accepted, especially as GH-dosing regimens for growth hormone deficiency have evolved from weight-based dosing (associated with overtreatment and side effects) to individualized dose-titration strategies, which maintain IGF1 within target limits.[7]

At 6-month intervals once maintenance doses are achieved. Monitoring should include clinical evaluation and assessment of side effects, blood IGF-1, fasting blood glucose levels, and T3, T4 and free T4, as well at lipid profile. Quality of life measurements may be done every 6 or 12 months.

Patients on concurrent thyroid, sex hormone or glucocorticoid treatment may need dose adjustments after starting GH replacement therapy.

Factors that may cause a need for higher GH doses:

• Young patients regardless of onset type

• Low blood IGF-1 levels

• Addition of oral estrogen

• Change from transdermal to oral estrogen

• To induce breakdown of stored body fat (lipolysis)

Factors that may cause a need for lower GH doses:

• Elderly patients

• High blood IGF-1 levels

• Discontinuation of oral estrogen

• Change from oral to transdermal estrogen

• Co-treatment with testosterone

• Elevation in fasting blood glucose and/or HbA1c (i.e. worsening glucose tolerance)
 
Good info. Thanks for the additional info. Certainly something to weigh when deciding starting dose. Could you please provide the source for this info?
 
Bunts said:
Another few weeks on!

Now at 4iu, still nightly. This is my peak dose and I wont be going higher, at least I dont think so.

Water retention is still there, and trending upwards unfortunately. This is the downside I have to accept was going to happen, and its not bothering me all that much. I do look 'fuller', which I dont hate. Ive lost some definition, but its manageable. No CT symptoms at all anymore, thank goodness - although it was only very minor, even at its 'worst'.

Bodyfat is still trending downward. Over a 31 day period, my smartwatch has calculated I have gone from 19.1% to ~16%. Weight has stayed broadly similar, as has strength in the gym. Im actually progressing now, even though im in a deficit - body comp, whoop!

This is backed up by skeletal muscle trending upwards. 31.3kg to 32.8kg.

Disclaimer: These figures are provided by my samsung smartwatch, with my weight given by some relatively inexpensive scales. I am consistent in my weigh times though. I focus on trends, not actual numbers, but it makes for an easier explanation using numbers in this context.

Are the figures above 'only' due to HGH, I doubt it. Reta + working out like a hound, will definitely be playing a part here. However, whats really interesting is that the only change in the last month has been the addition of HGH. I have broadly worked out the same amount, with the same exercises, and in the same calorific deficit.

Ill be running HGH for the foreseeable!

Thanks for reading 🙂
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How long after starting HGH did you feel effects? I just started so curious as I have read it take 6-12 months to see real progress???
 
The basic info is exactly what I got from a couple of papers from google scholar on it so the doses for age and iu/mg etc are definitely correct.
 
MTSpace said:
How long after starting HGH did you feel effects? I just started so curious as I have read it take 6-12 months to see real progress???
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'Feel' effects is a really difficult one.

Its not like I realised one day that I didnt ache as much, or that I could feel any kind of body recomp occuring. Thats why I log all the metrics I possibly can. Its a lot like when you lose weight, to eyeball even a 1kg loss in fat is hard, but it shows up on the scales far quicker to the eye.

I think after week 2, I began to notice things. The ability to push a bit harder in the gym, recover quicker, and I saw some small visual changes in my lower belly fat starting to shift. But, they were so minor that it could have been placebo or 'I know im taking HGH, so it must be that!'. I didnt take any waist measurements to give a reasonable before vs after figure.

I am still very much of the opinion that HGH is a long-game thing. Dont expect to suddenly get effects like a GLP, as an example, but its doing something im absolutely sure of it - the numbers provided to me confirm that.

If it does, indeed, take 6+ months to see progress, I cant wait to see what 'progress' really looks like!
 
Bunts said:
'Feel' effects is a really difficult one.

Its not like I realised one day that I didnt ache as much, or that I could feel any kind of body recomp occuring. Thats why I log all the metrics I possibly can. Its a lot like when you lose weight, to eyeball even a 1kg loss in fat is hard, but it shows up on the scales far quicker to the eye.

I think after week 2, I began to notice things. The ability to push a bit harder in the gym, recover quicker, and I saw some small visual changes in my lower belly fat starting to shift. But, they were so minor that it could have been placebo or 'I know im taking HGH, so it must be that!'. I didnt take any waist measurements to give a reasonable before vs after figure.

I am still very much of the opinion that HGH is a long-game thing. Dont expect to suddenly get effects like a GLP, as an example, but its doing something im absolutely sure of it - the numbers provided to me confirm that.

If it does, indeed, take 6+ months to see progress, I cant wait to see what 'progress' really looks like!
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Your post is encouraging. Into my second week of H. I’m playing the long game as well.
 
wildweasel said:
This is the real expecation.

Unless if you have a large amount of weight to drop, you will stop using the reta before the hgh kicks in, unless if you are one of those oddballs who just uses reta all year as a crutch to avoid eating a healhty diet

probably about 3 months before the fat loss form hgh is really noticable. most of the time until then you will maybe have higher subq water and might look a little bigger
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Spoken by someone who is most likely not in the target market for the drug ( reta ) in the first place, does not have significant obesity , and is expressing some mildly offensive opinions that might be appropriate on meso or a bodybuilding forum, but not on GLP-1 forum. If the person is obese , then most likely they will eventually learn how difficult long term weight loss maintenance really is.

Reta and other GLPs are a literally lifesaving drug for those with severe obesity, and staying on them long term is by far the most effective method of maintaining weight loss. Using it in that context is an appropriate and sensible medical therapy , not a crutch for oddballs, and you are being offensive in stating that.

When being used for its non intended purpose, cosmetic weight loss, the way it is used might be different, but to apply that logic to everyone is not useful.
 
lessthanhalf said:
Spoken by someone who is most likely not in the target market for the drug ( reta ) in the first place, does not have significant obesity , and is expressing some mildly offensive opinions that might be appropriate on meso or a bodybuilding forum, but not on GLP-1 forum. If the person is obese , then most likely they will eventually learn how difficult long term weight loss maintenance really is.

Reta and other GLPs are a literally lifesaving drug for those with severe obesity, and staying on them long term is by far the most effective method of maintaining weight loss. Using it in that context is an appropriate and sensible medical therapy , not a crutch for oddballs, and you are being offensive in stating that.

When being used for its non intended purpose, cosmetic weight loss, the way it is used might be different, but to apply that logic to everyone is not useful.
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Well said. Reta literally saved my life. And I dare anyone to eat a unhealthy diet while on Reta - does not end well!
 
lessthanhalf said:
Reta and other GLPs are a literally lifesaving drug for those with severe obesity, and staying on them long term is by far the most effective method of maintaining weight loss. Using it in that context is an appropriate and sensible medical therapy , not a crutch for oddballs, and you are being offensive in stating that.
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point taken
 
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