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Aging is an inevitable part of human life. Yet, most of us would do anything to slow down the process as much as possible with the hope to preserve both good health and youthful appearance.
Unfortunately, many manufacturers of beauty products and anti-aging supplements exploit this desire by promising unrealistic benefits. One of the most famous of these is the HGH gel. It stands out from the rest with its aggressive marketing strategies and deceivable health claims for increasing growth hormone levels.
Thus, both healthy individuals and chronically ill patients get misled that an HGH gel can help them reduce wrinkles, boost energy levels, improve sleep, speed up weight loss, preserve muscle, heal injuries, and much more.
In reality, HGH gels do not contain any amounts of real growth hormone and even if they did, putting HGH on your skin wouldn’t be an effective way to administer the hormone in your body.
Patients with medical conditions should avoid such products as this will postpone the real treatment they need and may increase the risk of complications. What is more, HGH gels are not subject to any form of regulation or quality control, which raises many questions about their safety too.
Brands of HGH gels on the US market
HGH gels are homeopathic products that do not contain any growth hormones despite their name. This is why you can purchase HGH gels over-the-counter similar to herbal and dietary supplements which supposedly boost HGH (HGH boosters).
The most popular brands of HGH gels on the US market include Somaderm, Dermatropin, and HG Crème (formerly known as HGH Crème). They all claim to be “the real deal” as they are supposedly different from regular HGH boosters.
All brands of HGH gels do not contain any growth hormone because they have been diluted to the point where the active ingredients are no longer there. HGH listed on the label on each of these products is followed by a number that indicates the dilution.
The main difference between the 3 products is the degree of dilution which ranges from 12X to 100X depending on the product. For example, Somaderm contains HGH 30X which stands for a dilution of 1:10 that has been performed 30 times.
The result is a 1:1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 dilution. The problem with this is that according to scientists such high dilutions will NOT contain even a single molecule of the original substance.
This is why such products do not actually contain any HGH and they can be sold freely without a prescription. Real HGH products such as Norditropin and Humatrope contain growth hormone which is a prescription medication and is unavailable over-the-counter.
What are the ingredients in HGH gel?
The degree of dilution is not the only difference between the HGH gel brands. For example, Somaderm contains other homeopathic ingredients as well such as Thyroidinum 8X (a preparation from animal thyroid glands) and Glandula Suprarenalis Suis 6X (a preparation from the adrenal gland of pigs).
Both extracts have been diluted to a point where no effects should be expected. In fact, homeopathic products, in general, lack scientific support and there is no credible evidence proving they are more effective than placebo.
The FDA also states that the organization is not aware of scientific evidence to support homeopathy as effective and currently there are no homeopathic products approved by FDA.
Somaderm also contains several herbal extracts. Yet, they are listed under inactive ingredients and their concentrations are unknown.
There is no information on the label or the website about the purpose or potency of these extracts. Thus, the actual amount of these herbs may be potentially negligible.
5 reasons why HGH gel is not effective
There are several “red flags” when it comes to the effectiveness of HGH gels.
They include the lack of efficacy control and approval by regulatory institutions such as the FDA, the extreme dilution of the active ingredients, lack of HGH absorption through the skin, the fake customer reviews, and the misleading and unsubstantiated claims.
On top of that, there is a huge problem with the legitimacy of the manufacturer as there is no data on whether the companies have research centers, acclaimed scientists in their teams, or any previous patents for health products.
What is more, the manufacturers either lack history and credibility as pharmaceutical companies or are not listed at all.
In contrast, manufacturers of real HGH medications are reputable and world-recognized brands such as Pfizer and Elly Lilly. Their products undergo extensive clinical testing before they become available to patients and consumers.
What is more, the HGH medications manufactured by real pharmaceutical companies are FDA-approved for the treatment of medical conditions such as adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) and you can purchase them only if you have a valid prescription by a medical doctor.
Thus, it is important to consult with a medical doctor before purchasing any treatment, especially hormonal.
Also, when looking for additional information regarding medical topics or treatment, make sure to search in trusted resources such as the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
#1 Not approved by the FDA
Currently, there isn’t an HGH gel that’s approved by the FDA. Instead, the websites of Dermatropin and Somatropin use the term “FDA-registered” and point out that the products have NDCs (National Drug Codes).
This fact may deceive many customers that the products have received some form of approval from the FDA.
Yet, that’s not the case. It is important to clarify that only the facilities for product manufacturing are FDA-registered.
In fact, it is mandatory for all US facilities that produce food or supplements to undergo inspection and registration by the FDA in order to legally operate.
Furthermore, Dermatropin and Somaderm have NDCs, but the codes categorize them as “UNAPPROVED HOMEOPATHIC” products. Of course, this is also not mentioned on the official websites.
#2 Gel doesn’t contain HGH
As we already mentioned, HGH gels are homeopathic products, which have been diluted to the point where they no longer contain any traceable amounts of growth hormone.
Furthermore, there is no evidence that the topical use of any of the additional extracts or inactive ingredients may provide benefits even in healthy adults.
In fact, the safety or effectiveness of the topical use of herbal extract for increasing GH levels hasn’t been studied at all.
#3 HGH can’t be absorbed through the skin
HGH in the form of gel, cream or patch, is highly ineffective because the hormone can’t get through the skin.
That’s because HGH’s high molecular weight and low ability to dissolve in fats (lipophilicity) prevent it from penetrating the outermost layer of the skin called the stratum corneum.
Only medications that are made of small and at least moderately lipophilic molecules can be successfully transferred passively through the skin and into systemic circulation.
The scientists also suggest that the successful transdermal delivery of big molecules such as the HGH would require permeation enhancers. Yet, research in this field is scarce and the reliability of permeation enhancers for HGH are still under investigation.
Thus, the only way to effectively administer real HGH medications is to inject them. So, even if HGH gel contained any growth hormone, applying it to your skin would be a complete waste.
Besides, HGH is easily destroyed in the gastrointestinal system so an oral route is also not a viable option.
#4 Fake & biased reviews
The websites, social media pages, and sponsored articles associated with HGH gels are flooded with positive reviews by alleged customers, who are in fact resellers.
Such individuals are part of the multi-level marketing strategies employed by the manufacturers and make money by reselling the HGH gels to other people.
Thus, it is in their own interest to claim that they had great personal experience and present the product as an effective and safe option for everyone.
Furthermore, these platforms are heavily moderated and any negative comments are quickly deleted.
That’s why some users have created Facebook pages where real customers can post their unbiased reviews and write about the various side effects they experience, such as:
- abnormal bleedings
- hormonal changes
- mood swings
- weight gain
- skin rashes
- hot flashes
- headaches
- insomnia
- hair loss
- nausea
#5 Claim to be safer than other forms
HGH gel manufacturers may go as far as claiming that their products are better than official medical therapies such as HGH injections.
Yet, currently, there are thousands of published studies including hundreds of randomized controlled trials which have investigated the safety and effectiveness of HGH injections.
As a result, the FDA has approved HGH injections as the only effective therapy in patients with GHD.
On the other hand, only 4 studies so far with mixed results have investigated the effectiveness of the transdermal application of HGH medications and most of the research is in vitro.
No studies have investigated the effectiveness of homeopathic HGH products
Taking HGH gels instead of visiting a doctor and receiving real HGH therapy can be even more dangerous for patients with GHD. That’s because the patient will spend money on ineffective therapies and delay the start of their treatment which may potentially worsen the symptoms.
Postponing GHD treatment can lead to an excessive buildup of abdominal fat and even visceral obesity. This type of obesity is a major risk factor for chronic conditions such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and even cancer.
Untreated GHD also increases the risk of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis.
What are the real effects of HGH gel?
The official website of the Dermatropin gel states that there are “clinically tested results showing 872% mean increase in growth hormone levels”.
Yet, there is no sign of any study or citation on their website to support such claims. Besides, searching reputable online databases for publications in peer-reviewed journals does not show any results containing similar data.
Somaderm and HG Crème manufacturers also claim that their products can increase your GH levels. Thus, the benefits listed on each of their websites sound the same – rejuvenated skin, improved energy levels, weight loss, increased muscle mass, better sleep, and more.
Yet, these are the benefits of real HGH therapy, which the manufacturers misrepresent as potential effects of HGH gel use.
Often, HGH gel manufacturers go as far as claiming bizarre or even magical effects such as reversing aging, rejuvenating joints, and treating chronic pain.
The reality is that such effects are myths, even when it comes to real HGH treatment.
At the same time, HGH gel manufacturers have included various herbal extracts and other substances in the products under the category of inactive ingredients.
The concentration, purity, and safety of these extracts are unknown, which means HGH gel has the potential for causing unexpected side effects.
On the other hand, HGH injections have well-known risks and potential side effects which require monitoring by a medical doctor in order to be managed properly.
