With all the publicity that hormones have received in the news, there is much confusion surrounding them. Estrogen, testosterone, growth hormone and melatonin are just a few examples, which often receive much attention. Unfortunately, it's easy to mistake which hormones are which and how they function.
What is Androgel?
Androgel is a prescription-strength testosterone replacement therapy. It comes in a gel formulation and allows the body to absorb testosterone through the skin and into the blood stream. It is a product of Solvay Pharmaceuticals and is approved for use in treating persons with abnormally low levels of testosterone.
What is Testosterone?
Testosterone is a steroid hormone that is responsible for multiple effects in the human body. It has androgenic properties, referring to its ability to cause the maturation of sexual organs and the development of male secondary sex characteristics, including the growth of hair in the beard and axillary(armpit) area and deepening of the voice. Testosterone also has anabolic properties, which encompass its function to increase muscle mass and strength and increase bone density.
What is Human growth Hormone(HGH)?
Human growth hormone (HGH) is a hormone with multiple functions. Like its name suggest, HGH is responsible for growth. It stimulates the growth of bones, muscles, and most human internal organs. It is also leads to the breakdown of fat (lipolysis), is involved in the balance of blood glucose, and strengthens the immune system.
Are Androgel and HGH similar?
While Androgel and HGH are both hormones, they are not the same. Androgel is a form of testosterone and HGH is not. What the two do share are anabolic properties, or properties focusing around the building up of elements. Both Androgel and HGH stimulate an increase in muscle mass and bone density.
How are Androgel and HGH different?
As mentioned previously, Androgel is a testosterone supplement and is not form of human growth hormone. While both are anabolic hormones, their effects are variable. Testosterone is considered a more potent stimulant for muscle growth, while HGH is a more potent stimulant of bone growth. Additionally, Androgel has effects that lead to virilization, or the development of male secondary characteristics. This can result in the increase in density of body hair with a decrease in the hair distribution on the head: "male pattern baldness." Unlike HGH, Androgel has limited affects on blood glucose levels and fat breakdown.
Tags: growth hormone, anabolic properties, blood glucose, bone density, development male, development male secondary