DR Oz and HGH

[rescueme]

[RANT]The whole Oprah/Dr Phil/Dr Oz thing chaps my assets. Celebrities with the bully pulpit if there ever were ones, with the opportunity to educate and enlighten millions with actual knowledge. Instead, they pump their viewers full of new age fluff... [/RANT]

Gee - I thought it was only me that felt that way about Oz (don't look behind the curtain!)

 

[Chuckanut]

I don't know enough about Dr. Oz to comment on him and cannot comment on his books, show or advice. The article did not seem to be selling a bunch of his products which is to his credit.

But I have watched various celebrity doctors (PhD's MD'S, etc.) and what happens often (not always) seems to be this: Dr. Soandso writes a book that is actually quite good and useful. It becomes a best seller. Dr. Soandso writes another book amplifying on the first book. Also, a best seller. Dr. Soandso appears on afternoon TV shows where the host (who knows little about science, medicine, economics, etc.) swoons over him and hundred of women in the audience go nuts over him. Dr. Soandso gets his own show. It starts OK, but in the competition to hype ratings and earn even more money, the show's topics become more outrageous and silly. Dr. Soandso starts writing books and hawking various nostrums for problems that are out of his expertise and professional experience - such as things that cure baldness, supercharge your sex life, dissovle cellulite, and raise Elvis from the dead. At this point it's all about $$'s.

 

[Chuckanut]

Having read the article the OP mentioned, I would like to see what other well credentialed professionals in the area of things like human growth hormone think. The market for supplements is a huge one, and that makes me suspicious. Just because a deficiency of a vitamin, mineral or other substance is bad, doesn't mean that getting many times the required amount is good. If these supplements do increase HGH and that does slow down premature aging, I am happy to buy a bottle, but, I want more than just one person's opinion

 

[RonBoyd]

But I have watched various celebrity doctors (PhD's MD'S, etc.) and what happens often (not always) seems to be this: ...

You described the situation quite accurately.

 

[sparkee]

To seriously look at increasing HGH release (instead of getting it through injections), there are some ways to do that naturally. "Sprint 8" is an exercise protocol (with some other lifestyle changes + nutritional guidelines around the time of the exercise) which needs to be done only 2 or 3 x per week.

You can read about it in a book by Phil Campbell, "Ready, Set, Go," (which is about other things than just Sprint 8--it's a total approach to exercise) but can easily find info on it on the web: Peak Fitness Exercise Benefits | Phil Campbell Interview

Mercola has another post online which speaks to his results and benefits: Peak 8 Exercises Increase Your "Fitness Hormone" Levels

The big thing about this protocol is much higher growth hormone release. As Mercola states, the benefits of growth hormone release (which naturally drop off as we age) are several, but all are anti-aging:

Decrease in body fat
Improved muscle tone
Firmer skin and reduces wrinkles
Increase in energy and sexual desire
Improved athletic speed and performance
Ability to achieve your fitness goals much faster

The protocol can be summarized as 20 minutes exercise divided as follows: 2 minutes easy, then 30 second "sprint," then 1:30 recovery, another 30 second sprint, etc. done 8 times, which gives you 20 minutes. The sprints (which can be done on lots of equipment or with running actual sprints--I find the recumbent bike easier on my back and easier to control the difficulty level, since as I get fitter I can just increase how hard it is to pedal) are supposed to build in intensity, with the last 3-4 being very intense--I think Campbell described it as, "after 15 seconds you should feel like you can't go on at that level, but then just hang on for the last 15 seconds."

Campbell's instructions about nutrition around the Sprint 8 workout itself are simple: a little carb beforehand + two grams of glutamine (a very cheap amino acid); then no sugars for two hours afterward, but at least 25 grams of protein--which I take in a protein shake.

I'd check it out and give it a try (depending on your level of fitness, it might take some time to build up to a Sprint 8 workout--I was out of shape, so spent a couple months building up fitness on my recumbent Exercycle and walking every morning before starting the sprints).

Haven't been doing the sprints that long, but it seems to have a positive effect. I've been changing other things lifestyle-wise as well and have dropped a bit over 20 pounds since mid-August, but have a long ways to go still to be where I'd like to be.

 

[eytonxav]

Mercola has another post online which speaks to his results and benefits: Peak 8 Exercises Increase Your "Fitness Hormone" Levels

The big thing about this protocol is much higher growth hormone release. As Mercola states, the benefits of growth hormone release (which naturally drop off as we age) are several, but all are anti-aging:

Decrease in body fat
Improved muscle tone
Firmer skin and reduces wrinkles
Increase in energy and sexual desire
Improved athletic speed and performance
Ability to achieve your fitness goals much faster

I try to be open minded about things like this, but I've not heard anything positive about Mercola's recommendations/claims if this is the same Mercola I am thinking of.

 

[RonBoyd]

I try to be open minded about things like this, but I've not heard anything positive about Mercola's recommendations/claims if this is the same Mercola I am thinking of.

Perhaps this may have influenced your thinking:

FDA Orders Dr. Joseph Mercola to Stop Illegal Claims

Many of Mercola's articles make unsubstantiated claims and clash with those of leading medical and public health organizations. For example, he opposes immunization [4] and fluoridation [5], and mammography [6]; claims that amalgam fillings are toxic [7]; and makes many unsubstantiated recommendations for dietary supplements. Mercola's reach has been greatly boosted by repeated promotion on the "Dr. Oz Show."

 

[eytonxav]

Perhaps this may have influenced your thinking:

FDA Orders Dr. Joseph Mercola to Stop Illegal Claims

That is basically what I recall. He's anti vaccination and does not have much in the way of scientific based evidence to back his claims other than testimonials. Maybe he does have some valid ideas, but it would be good if he could at least validate some of them via clinical trials.

 

[UtahSkier]

You can read about it in a book by Phil Campbell, "Ready, Set, Go," (which is about other things than just Sprint 8--it's a total approach to exercise) but can easily find info on it on the web: Peak Fitness Exercise Benefits | Phil Campbell Interview

I was unaware of the possible relationship between HIIT and HGH.

Thanks for the info and congrats with your results.

I don't know anything about DR Mercola and his claims. But my personal experience has let me conclude the HIIT is a valuable tool in my exercise arsenal.

My primary HIIT routine is 24 minutes on a life cycle. 4 minute warm up followed by a 2 mintute, all out effort. That is followed by a 2 minute 70% effort "rest". I repeat the all out effort and rest for a total of 5 times.

My goal is heart rate. I try to get my heart rate up to its max rate in the 4th and 5th sprints.

I do this HIIT workout first thing in the morning before I have any food. Then follow it up with 20 minutes of stretching before getting on with my day.

The HIIT workout boosts my metabolism and its effects lasts all day. I can reliably lose a good bit of belly fat with this program.

My experience has led me to conclude that HIIT is better for fat loss than long, slow cardio.

My one drawback with HIIT is the metabolism boost interferes with my sleep (sometimes).

 

[REWahoo]

My one drawback with HIIT is the metabolism boost interferes with my sleep (sometimes).

As does advancing age.

 

[RonBoyd]

I can reliably lose a good bit of belly fat with this program.

My experience has led me to conclude that HIIT is better for fat loss than long, slow cardio.

I know this gives one a warm fuzzy felling but... there is no evidence to support such claims beyond anecdotal. (And yes, it is promoted very heavily by those with a health club membership, exercise quipment, a book,, etc. to sell.) If you are losing Belly (visceral) fat -- the fat surrounding your internal organs -- it is most likely from some other reason.

See for example:

Don't Die Early: The Life You Save Can Be Your Own: Rocky Angelucci: 9780985404505: Amazon.com: Books

on page 159:

Why Exercise?

There are probably as many reasons to exercise as there are people exercising. For me, some of the most compelling reasons to exercise are : [he lists six reasons].

You'll note that I didn't say that exercise was a compelling reason to lose weight. Read the works of Gary Taubes and you'll learn why exercising just to lose weight is a folly.

Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It: Gary Taubes: 9780307474254: Amazon.com: Books

(See Good Calories, Bad Calories for a much more detailed explanation.)

The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living: An Expert Guide to Making the Life-Saving Benefits of Carbohydrate Restriction Sustainable and Enjoyable: Stephen D. Phinney,Jeff S. Volek: 9780983490708: Amazon.com: Books

Pages 25, 119, 125, & 135.

 

[UtahSkier]

As does advancing age.

As does low testosterone. Poor sleep is one of the reasons I decided to have testosterone injections.

How's it working out so far?

Not well.

For the past 14 weeks, I have been receiving weekly injections. The first 2 nights are nearly sleepless because of excessive alertness. The next 2 nights are better, but not ideal. The last 3 are decent. Then its time to repeat the process.

7 weeks ago, I cut my dose by 30 %. I still had sleep problems and I was really lethargic the last 3 days. The follow up blood test confirmed a significant drop is testosterone levels.

I am just now trying twice a week injections to address the sleep problems. And lastly, I originally gave myself the injection in the morning. I am now giving the injection just before I go to sleep. I think it takes 6-8 hours for the injection to begin to diffuse into the blood stream.

 

[RonBoyd]

As does low testosterone. Poor sleep is one of the reasons I decided to have testosterone injections.

How's it working out so far?

Not well.

For the past 14 weeks, I have been receiving weekly injections. The first 2 nights are nearly sleepless because of excessive alertness. The next 2 nights are better, but not ideal. The last 3 are decent. Then its time to repeat the process.

7 weeks ago, I cut my dose by 30 %. I still had sleep problems and I was really lethargic the last 3 days. The follow up blood test confirmed a significant drop is testosterone levels.

I am just now trying twice a week injections to address the sleep problems. And lastly, I originally gave myself the injection in the morning. I am now giving the injection just before I go to sleep. I think it takes 6-8 hours for the injection to begin to diffuse into the blood stream.

Wow! Have you considered a test for Sleep Apnea?

 

[UtahSkier]

Wow! Have you considered a test for Sleep Apnea?

I did some kind of sleep test in 2007. Some special equipment was hooked up while I slept. The Dr evaluated the results and nothing unusal was observed.

The underlying problem that I was struggling with (at that time) was eventually resolved by reducing corn in my diet and eliminating Green Tea of all things.

 

[RonBoyd]

The underlying problem that I was struggling with (at that time) was eventually resolved by reducing corn in my diet and eliminating Green Tea of all things.

I don't know how you discovered that but I am always impressed with n=1 studies. If you aren't aware of Seth Roberts, you should visit his website. His followers (and, of course, himself) are always coming up with the most off-the-wall cures for common ailments.

 

[UtahSkier]

I don't know how you discovered that but I am always impressed with n=1 studies. If you aren't aware of Seth Roberts, you should visit his website. His followers (and, of course, himself) are always coming up with the most off-the-wall cures for common ailments.

It was pretty simple actually. I was suddenly faced with a situation where the windpipe between the top of my lungs and the bottom of my throat was swollen and constricted and my breathing was increasing labored. Some nights my breathing was so bad I thought about going to the emergency room.

I visited an asthma doctor who concluded all of her asthma medications would not improve my situation. I went to see an allergist who made some suggestions and ran a skin allergy panel. It showed the usual ariborne allergens and a slight allergy to corn. I was eating popcorn and corn chips and corn of the cob. This was in addtion to a variety of foods that are made with corn.

Sometimes the N=1 study is all you have. So, I eliminated corn from my diet and my breathing became better. Correlation? Placebo effect? I don't care. I now manage corn in my diet and make sure I only have fresh corn a maximum of once a week. My breathing is fine.

During the next 5+ years, I have found a number of contibuting factors to my breathing problems and my acid refluc problems (they are related). I have since identified Green Tea, spinach and (suprisingly) a lack of Orange Jucie that are problematic.

Healthcare is in general progressing away from the blockbuster drugs that are suitable for hundreds of millions of individuals. With the advancing of DNA technology, N+1 healthcare will become the standard of treatment.

The bottom line here is that the individual is responsible for one's healthcare. The doctors and the medical profession can only try to help.

 

[UtahSkier]

I know this gives one a warm fuzzy felling but... there is no evidence to support such claims beyond anecdotal. (And yes, it is promoted very heavily by those with a health club membership, exercise quipment, a book,, etc. to sell.) If you are losing Belly (visceral) fat -- the fat surrounding your internal organs -- it is most likely from some other reason.

See for example:

Well then, I am truely special.

It works, for me, exactly as I described. In fact, I have been doing this for the past month and have dropped 1 inch in my belly girth in the past month. I plan on dropping 2 more before Jan 1 (start of ski season).

I did this last fall as well. I did combine this program with a diet modification where I generally avoid eating wheat. But this aspect of my diet is now constant.

Via cause and effect and trial and error, I have learned that HIIT is the most efficient way for me to lose belly fat. Naturally, this is combined with a good diet (which I maintain all year long) and disipline with portion control... something I, at times, struggle with.