Growth Hormone (HGH) Overview
Growth hormone declines with age. Here's what actually works to support it — from lifestyle to peptides to direct HGH therapy — with honest trade-offs.
Growth hormone (GH) peaks in your teens and declines about 14% per decade after 30. Low GH affects body composition, recovery, skin, and energy. You can support it naturally through sleep and exercise, or more aggressively with peptide secretagogues or direct HGH.
This guide is for you if: You're curious about growth hormone optimisation, considering peptide therapy, or want to understand the difference between natural GH support and exogenous HGH.
See the evidenceWhat does growth hormone do?
Growth hormone is released in pulses from your pituitary gland, primarily during deep sleep. It stimulates IGF-1 production in your liver, which then drives many of the downstream effects:
- Body composition — promotes fat loss (especially visceral fat) and lean mass retention
- Recovery — accelerates tissue repair, wound healing, and exercise recovery
- Skin and hair — supports collagen synthesis and skin thickness
- Bone density — maintains bone mineral density as you age
- Cognitive function — neuroprotective effects and mood regulation
Natural ways to boost GH
Before considering peptides or drugs, maximise your natural GH production:
1. Deep sleep — 70–80% of daily GH is released during slow-wave sleep. Prioritise 7–9 hours with good sleep hygiene.
2. Fasting — GH surges during fasting (2–5x increase after 24 hours). Even 14–16 hour overnight fasts help.
3. High-intensity exercise — Sprints, heavy compound lifts, and HIIT trigger significant GH release for 1–2 hours post-workout.
- Reduce body fat — visceral fat actively suppresses GH secretion
- Avoid eating before bed — insulin spikes blunt the nocturnal GH pulse
- Sauna — 20 min at 80°C+ increases GH 2–5x acutely (Leppäluoto et al.)
Peptide secretagogues
Peptides stimulate your own pituitary to release more GH, rather than injecting synthetic GH directly. This preserves natural pulsatile release:
| Peptide | Mechanism | Dose range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipamorelin | GHRP (selective) | 200–300 mcg/day | Cleanest GH release, minimal side effects |
| CJC-1295 (no DAC) | GHRH analogue | 100 mcg/day | Amplifies natural GH pulses; often paired with ipamorelin |
| Sermorelin | GHRH analogue | 200–500 mcg/day | Oldest GH peptide, well-studied, gentler |
| Tesamorelin | GHRH analogue | 2 mg/day | FDA-approved for visceral fat reduction in HIV |
| MK-677 | Ghrelin mimetic (oral) | 10–25 mg/day | Oral, raises GH and IGF-1 but increases appetite and insulin |
Peptides stimulate your body's own GH production, maintaining natural pulsatility. Direct HGH injection gives supraphysiological, constant levels. Peptides are generally safer and cheaper but produce more modest results. Direct HGH is more effective but carries more risk (insulin resistance, joint pain, potential cancer concerns at high doses).
Track your IGF-1 and see what's working
eterni tracks IGF-1, fasting insulin, and body composition markers before and after any GH protocol.
Get early accessFrequently Asked Questions
Does HGH really slow aging?
GH replacement in deficient adults improves body composition, skin thickness, bone density, and energy. However, there's no conclusive evidence it extends lifespan. In fact, some longevity research suggests lower IGF-1 may be protective long-term. The sweet spot appears to be maintaining age-appropriate levels, not supraphysiological ones.
Are GH peptides legal in India?
Peptides like ipamorelin, CJC-1295, and sermorelin occupy a grey area in India. They are not scheduled as controlled substances but are also not approved for anti-aging use. They can be obtained through compounding pharmacies and clinics specialising in peptide therapy. Direct HGH requires a prescription.
What is the safest way to boost growth hormone?
Optimise deep sleep, do high-intensity exercise, maintain a healthy body weight, and consider intermittent fasting. These strategies alone can increase GH by 2–5x without any drugs. If you want pharmacological support, ipamorelin is considered the cleanest peptide option with the fewest side effects.
Does MK-677 actually work?
Yes — MK-677 (ibutamoren) reliably increases GH and IGF-1 by 40–60% in clinical trials. However, it also increases appetite significantly, raises fasting glucose, and can worsen insulin resistance. It's oral (no injections) which makes it convenient, but the metabolic side effects make it a poor choice for many people.
The GH-IGF-1 axis in detail
Growth hormone release is controlled by two hypothalamic hormones: GHRH (stimulatory) and somatostatin (inhibitory). GH then stimulates IGF-1 production in the liver, which mediates most of GH's anabolic effects. IGF-1 also feeds back to suppress GH release, creating a self-regulating loop.
The decline in GH with age — called somatopause — results from both increased somatostatin tone and decreased GHRH signaling. Peptide secretagogues work by either mimicking GHRH (sermorelin, CJC-1295, tesamorelin) or mimicking ghrelin (ipamorelin, GHRP-6, MK-677).
Sleep and GH: The largest GH pulse occurs during the first cycle of slow-wave (N3) sleep, typically 60–90 minutes after falling asleep. Anything that disrupts deep sleep — alcohol, late eating, poor sleep hygiene — directly reduces this pulse. This is why sleep optimisation is the single most important natural GH strategy.
Body composition feedback: Visceral adiposity increases free fatty acids, which directly suppress GH secretion. This creates a vicious cycle: low GH → more visceral fat → even lower GH. Breaking this cycle through exercise and body fat reduction can significantly restore GH pulsatility.
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