Why Athletes Like Peyton Manning Would Risk Using HGH Illegally?

Last December, Al Jazeera released a documentary entitled “The Dark Side”. The documentary talked about the abuse of Human Growth Hormone (HGH), along that, it also mentioned high profile athletes like Peyton Manning who were rumored to be HGH users.

A lot of people most especially the fans of Manning got really upset about it. Even Common, a famed rapper, shared his thoughts about this saying “If you're taking drug to be super-human, it takes away from some of the joy of knowing you have these abilities, these God-given gifts”. Several individuals also shared the same sentiment.

HGH is among the most controversial substances in the athletic community. It is a highly controlled substance but even up to now, it is still widely used. But why do athletes use it regardless of all the issues surrounding it?

1. HGH is an important substance produced by the body.

The Human Growth Hormone is produced by the Pituitary Gland. The body makes this hormone in order to induce the growth of cells in the body. With this hormone, the body is able to repair itself. This hormone accounts for the muscle build-up as well as bone development.

However, overtime, the HGH levels decrease as people age. The decrease in the levels of HGH starts when individuals hit their 20s. It is a natural process that every individual undergoes. This is most likely the reason why people most especially athletes take in HGH as a part of their health regimen.

2. HGH aids the body grow stronger bones

Playing sports is a very physical activity. Because of this, athletes need to develop a stronger body. Training is one key to achieve this, but it is also essential to make sure that one would have a fit and strong body to support that training. Bones and muscles account much for that strength and agility. Every athlete needs these components to develop properly. HGH paves the way for that to happen.

As HGH is naturally present in the body, it is there to naturally do its job. However, as mentioned earlier, after hitting puberty, the HGH levels in the body tend to decrease. Which is why, there is a growing market for HGH amongst athletes. Usually they begin their careers young, most likely in high school. As the years go by, even with continued training, their bodies become less agile and less able to recover quickly after injury.

3. It decreases the amount of fat in the body

Apart from its potential to improve the body’s ability to repair itself and develop muscles and bones, HGH is also quite known to decrease the amount of fat in the body. It does this by transforming the stored energy inside the adipose tissue layer. This means that athletes get to burn all the extra fats they store around their body with ease.

Maintaining a lean figure is among the things that athletes aim for. A good figure helps them to gain more balance and control over their movements. It’s easier to play that way.

4. With HGH, athletes can boost their energy levels

Since we are able to establish that HGH can burn the energy stored inside the fat cells, the next important point we would need to know about is whether that translates into more available energy that could give an advantage to the user. According to many studies HGH can in fact give ample energy boost and this is why athletes find it so tempting to use.

There are so many instances that players need to undergo vigorous trainings in order to prepare for competition. It certainly takes time and a lot of effort to develop a healthy stamina, but with a little boost from HGH, athletes would be able to focus more on the game than on how to maintain their stamina.

5. HGH improves your heart’s and kidney’s function

As a consequence of the lowered fat levels, the heart and the kidney are able to function more efficiently. Having a good circulatory system is immensely important to maintain the good flow of all the metabolites needed by the body. It also helps ensure that players stay fit and healthy throughout their career.

With all the surfacing issues about HGH, and the huge number of athletes linked to its use and abuse, how do you feel about it? Do you think it’s justifiable for athletes to use HGH given what you have just learned about its effects on the human body.

Sources:

http://www.maxim.com/entertainment/peyton-manning-doping-scandal
http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/growth-hormone-athletic-performance-and-aging
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/supplements/build-muscle/everything-you-need-know-about-human-growth-hormone
http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.36965/title.common-comments-on-peyton-mannings-hgh-scandal