By the time we reach the age of 25, the pituitary has already begun to release less HGH into the bloodstream. By age 40 our HGH levels are only about 40% of what they were in our prime, around age 20. Since the evidence strongly indicates that these lower levels of HGH play an integral part of the aging process, and that elevating these levels of HGH back to where they were in our younger years can offset the effects of aging, the trick is to do that - to raise the levels of HGH.

Many studies that we have already described - most notably those of Dr. Chein and Dr. Terry at Palm Springs - have shown that injections of HGH do that very effectively. However, this method of treatment has a number of drawbacks. For one thing, injections are very expensive, costing anywhere from hundreds of dollars to a few thousand dollars per month, depending on the individual's requirement. Also, the injections are generally carried out in a clinical or hospital setting, by medical personnel, and require considerable testing and monitoring to keep the proper dosages on track so as to avoid side effects. This is necessary because, when HGH is delivered to the bloodstream by injection, the feedback loop that keeps the HGH levels in the normal range will end up being bypassed, and it is largely when the levels of HGH are raised artificially high that problems tend to occur.

The reason HGH cannot be taken orally as a pill or capsule is that HGH is a large protein. Inside the stomach and intestines we produce enzymes that break HGH down into its component amino acids, just as they would do with a nice steak or bowl of cottage cheese, or any other foodstuff rich in protein.

Also, because of the large size of the HGH molecule, it cannot be absorbed through the skin. Some preparations of HGH have been produced for absorption into the bloodstream through vessels under the tongue, but this method of delivery also has drawbacks, conferring results that are unreliable. Difficulties have to do not only with absorbtion but also with dosage - it is difficult to determine how well HGH will be absorbed in each person and at different times of the day. As a consequence, serum (blood) levels can fluctuate beyond what is desirable, again with unwanted side effects. Because HGH is such a large molecule (191 amino acids), it is poorly absorbed by any route except injection, as is the case for Insulin (consisting of 51 amino acids). But where diabetics have the advantage of cheap and convenient blood sugar measurements with a personal glucometer, Growth Hormone Deficient adults (GHD's) have no cheap method yet of watching their IGF-1 levels. However, there is work being done at present to perfect easy saliva testing, which could then be carried out via mail order, or perhaps even with home test kits.