Growth hormone and testosterone are the two most important hormones in relation to muscle building. One of the most important distinguishing characters between the two is that growth hormone actually causes the body to build new muscle cells, while testosterone does not.
There is no question that testosterone is the king of muscle building, however it lacks that one important characteristic. That is why boosting both growth hormone and testosterone levels together have such a powerful effect on muscle building.
The most effective way to do this is with anabolic steroids and synthetic growth hormone. There are a few problems with this approach though:
- Both are illegal without a doctors prescription.
- Synthetic growth hormone can increase the size of bones and organs and increase hair growth.
- Testosterone has many possible side effects from gynecomastia to many more serious ones.
Many people will tell you that anabolic steroids and HGH are safe if you use them correctly and this may be true for some people, but everybody reacts differently to drugs and you may not have the same experience as someone else who uses these drugs. The other thing to keep in mind is that the long term data on steroid and HGH usage is limited and nobody knows the possible long term damage they could cause to a healthy person.
I'm not going too deep into all of the pros and cons of steroids here because I'm not promoting their use, simply because there are safer routes, that can get you really impressive results if you're somebody who is dedicated to your diet, training and supplement routine. Besides, unless you're competing in Mr. Olympia, there's no point for most people.
By taking synthetic drugs the body will actually shut down its own production of these chemicals to regain homeostasis. For this reason anabolic steroid users have to finish their cycles with post cycle therapy (PCT) to stimulate the body to produce its own hormones again.
Many of the supplements used in PCT are, themselves, very effective natural testosterone boosters. They work with the body, rather than causing the body to shut down hormone production. In many ways they could be considered the exact opposite of steroids. They are safe and effective and, for the most part, side effect free.
There are supplements that naturally boost growth hormone and ones that naturally boost testosterone. First let's look at the growth hormone boosters:
Growth Hormone Boosting Supplements
GABA
GABA – An amino acid that stands for Gamma-Aminobutryic Acid. GABA is a very unique amino acid in that it actually acts as a neurotransmitter, rather than aiding in protein synthesis, like many other amino acids. When people say “amino acid” they are normally referring to alpha amino acids however GABA is not an alpha amino.
Some pre-workout supplements, such as While Flood by Controlled Labs, are beginning to include GABA in the mix. Of course you can also buy GABA in the powdered or pill form which is a good option because you can take larger doses that way. Of all of the natural growth hormone boosters, GABA is probably the most highly regarded.
Amino Acids
Other amino acids that have a "growth hormone boosting" effect include Ornithine, Lysine, Glutamine BCAA's, Taurine and Arginine. Taking these amino acids together in sufficient amounts can produce noticeable results.
There are supplements like Fountain of Youth's HGH Complete that include all of these amino acids along with other HGH and testosterone boosting ingredients. Amino acids are the basis for all supplements that aim to naturally increase HGH levels.
Testosterone Boosting Supplements
Supplements that naturally boost testosterone usually include natural herbal extracts. However, one of the most popular natural testosterone boosters available today is not an herb at all, it is a combination of vitamins and minerals. Many of the most potent natural testosterone boosters on the market today include a combination of all of these ingredients. Lets take a look at them:
ZMA
ZMA - zinc magnesium aspartate is a combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 in some cases. This relatively new development in bodybuilding supplements is really nothing new. We have known the benefits of zinc and magnesium for hundreds of years, but it was only recently discovered that the two together, in a high enough, dose could a substantially raise testosterone levels.
Not only is zinc necessary for testosterone production, but it is a powerful antioxidant that speeds up healing time. Magnesium is necessary for muscle function and over 300 reactions in the body. What's more is that many Americans are deficient in their dietary magnesium intake.
Many users of ZMA report deeper and more restful sleep (which in itself is important in testosterone and HGH production). ZMA was first sold as a supplement on its own, but now most supplement companies that make testosterone boosters include it as one of several ingredients, which verifies its effectiveness.
Other Notables
Other popular testosterone boosting ingredients include, but are not limited to, yohimbe bark, fenugreek, tribulus, saw palmetto and D-aspartic acid (D-isomer amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter). All of these ingredients, besides D-aspartic acid, are natural plant extracts. Some may have more of an effect of increasing sex drive for some people.
Overall, most people will see results with at least one, or a combination of, these ingredients. Supplements like TestFreak, from PharmaFreak, boast an impressive list of ingredients that include both testosterone and HGH boosters.
It is actually very common for HGH boosting supplements to include testosterone boosters and vice versa. That is because supplement companies understand the benefit of increasing both of these hormones simultaneously and undoubtedly want to make their supplements as effective as possible, so that people will continue to use them.
Top 3 Ways to Boost Testosterone and Growth Hormone
While supplements can be very useful in increasing HGH and testosterone levels, the most important factors have to do with your diet, exercise and rest. It is rare for HGH and testosterone to increase or decease independently of one another, because many of the same the eating habits, exercises and sleep patterns effect the production of both of these hormones in the same ways.
First, I'm going to list, what I believe are, the top 3 ways to increase these hormones, then I will move on to other helpful pointers:
- Powerlifting - Doing squats and deadlifts with heavy weight at low repetition is probably the single most important tool for increasing HGH and testosterone. You only need to perform these exercises once or twice a week, as the body needs sufficient time to recover from powerlifting.
- Rest - If you're not sleeping enough (7-8 hours) you're robbing your body of the chance to produce these hormones. About 70% of the body's growth hormone is produced during deep sleep.
- Diet – Without the proper fuel your body can't produce enough of these hormones so weightlifting and rest won't be of much help to you without a sufficient calorie and protein intake. A high quality whey protein powder is a must!
As you can see, all three of these factors are interdependent, meaning they must all be "on point" or you really won't see much benefit from any of them. Here are some other great tips:
12 More Tips to Boost Testosterone and Growth Hormone
- A high carbohydrate diet will cause the body to produce more insulin which can counteract GH, so focus on a low sugar, low Glycemic Index carbohydrate, high protein diet, especially before bed.
- Eat a small meal about 1-2 hours before workouts and again immediately after your workouts.
- Supplement amino acids (glutamine, BCAAs, arginine) before, during and after workouts ( I love using a Pre-Workout before and BCAAs before, during and after).
- Do high repetition training with shorts breaks.
- Do maximum intensity training, such as sprints (the very best fat burning exercise there is).
- Avoid alcohol.
- Get your body-fat % down because it causes the body to produce more estrogen (sprints plus a fat burner plus CLA plus low carb diet equals my cutting routine).
- Take short 30 minute naps during the day.
- Have sex.
- Don't over-train (seriously, it's more important than you might think).
- Eat a healthy diet high in vegetables and unsaturated fats and take your multivitamin.
- Don't forget your supplements!
Take it from me (someone who has consistently followed every one of those tips), a combination of the right diet, training and supplements can stimulate your body to produce far more growth hormone and testosterone than it normally would.
For males ages 18-25, your hormone levels are already through the roof, so this is a great time to take advantage of training and nutrition. For men over 30 the supplements I mentioned will produce even more noticeable results than in younger men because both GH and testosterone levels begin to drop with age.
For women trying to build muscle natural growth hormone boosters are a usually a better choice than testosterone boosters (as high testosterone (the male hormone) levels in women can promote more masculine features in some cases). For men and women who are 50+ years of age natural growth hormone booster are a great, safe way to reverse the aging process. They can promote energy, vitality, improved vision, improved muscle tone and many other benefits.
Use the tips and information in this article and most importantly, be consistent with whatever you do! Consistency is the most important action when trying to achieve great results. That 's a little tip straight from 4 time Mr Olympia - Jay Cutler.
60 Comments
Yo yo
John, good article content.
Good article.
I have low testosteren harmone can you sugest me some diet for high protien & testosteren
Hi. I'm a female in my early 50s. What do u recommend to use for me to gain some muscle. I'm not into bodybuilding - just would like look nice.
My diet is good and so is my exercise routine.
Regards. Gail
Hello I was wondering if testosterone boosters, with amino acids etc, cause women to gain body fat, I think I may have gained some fat, I've been doing plenty of exercise so I should be losing weight. I like taking the boosters though as they do help my sleep. i am worried about gaining weight though :( Please can someone help, thanks
Fenugreek isn't good for men
Can you please sight a source for this?
HGH definitely is a bit of a wonder, helping with skin, energy, age, weight loss, muscle mass etc, so many celebrities are secretly using it. It may not be safe to take the actual stuff, but a supplement like HGH tea we find can work wonders at naturally boosting levels, keeping you young and fit.
www.hghtea.com
hey guys..... im 19 years of age 5 feet 4 inches since i was 14 years old and didnt grow anymore....... pls give some advice to grow more???
Organic hemp hearts or hemp seeds are known to cause growth spurts in children. Better do it quick tho if you're 19 already. and avoid smoking weed
I'm 48 female and thinking of taking freak gh. Any think guy can tell me that would deter me from taking it. I'm 5.0" 109 lbs and bf of about 20%. Eating clean. And train about 4x a week. Want to see some lean muscle. Not in any medication.
Thanks.
Hi, Is the hormon growth supplements and diet will still help me? As I am already using card buster is it right supplement for human growth?
Hi, I'm 99 years old and would like to know if I am still growing?
I'd like to get a little taller. How much GABA do I need to take to give me a little growth spurt?
I am currently taking 1 milligram every other, other day. Is that enough?
Thanks!
"high repetition training with short breaks". Could you give an example of this? Thanks!
That means in one workout, do every set (3 set ) ,of about 15-20 repetitions(times)..and with sort interval of maximum 25 seconds between each set.
why are people so Obsessed with height?? Im 26, short and slowly getting bald bt thts th way it is.. Jus focus on building Yo body n' forget the rest, cos it nt gona change..
everyone is young that are making comments, I,m 74 have hepatitis . would HGH and testosterone give energy and healthier body? and help with the aches and pain?
At thirteen I was only 3 feet 6 inches (112 cm) . I was told to play basket ball And within 2 years I grew to 5 feet 9 inches 127 pounds. At 16 i I took animal pak by universal and in three months I was 185 pounds. Animal pak is the real deal.
hello there ! i am 17years old guy and stands as 5.4onliy.. i want to increase my height although i want to be a male model but my height is not enough .some time i think that i will loose my this dream because of height problems.. i take calcium tablet for a month but also nothing change would comes .. so please help me .. what to do ?
i'm confused.
im 5'10, 160lbs, and im trying to increase size (muscle gain weight gain). i've read workouts that say to take simple carbs (aka refined sugar) RIGHT after my workout.
does this mean, i should not be doing this, and after my workout, taking a low-carb high-protein shake instead?
In my experience, post workout carbs are a good choice. If you're on a cutting diet, then you'd typically cut carbs pretty low. That being said, I've always included carbs (even on a cutting phase) after my workout. I wouldn't necessarily use refined sugar, however. Personally, I stick with waxy maize.
Be sure that the carbs you are eating are low glycemic. Most simple carbs are high glycemic, causing a fast rise in insulin, which actually prohibits production of the growth hormone.
Hi I am 17, i recently got in a motorcycle accident, and cant workout due to broken bones in my body. i am looking at growth hormones to help speed the recovery time of my bones. I am a competitive teenage bodybuilder and want to get back to my sport. However I hear so much about taking steroids at a young age causes your natural production levels to decrease after taking the juice. I was wondering if this same thing happens when a teenager would take growth hormones?
Definitely consult your doctor before taking any course of action regarding your treatment and recovery.
DEAR ;SIR MY LIFE IS VERY BAD BECOZ MY HIGHT IS 5.2 AND I'M 19.7 YRS OLD .SO PLS PLS HELP ME FOR HIGHT GAIN.THANKS...
Hey I take testosterone enchancer Stacker 2 black edition is there gonna be and side effects like my hair to drop down???
i eat 16 cheesesteaks a day along with 45 egg whites and I am getting fat. What am i doing wrong? Thanks you.
what are you doing wrong? lol, maybe cut back on the cheesesteaks, just a thought
what are you doing wrong?
Well, if your comment wasn't a troll.
a) eating too many calories
b) not eating a varied diet
c) eating cheese on steak
d) eating cheese
e) not providing any other information about yourself and your training. Age, Training frequency. Goals. etc
John, you are great and obviously know your subject extremely well! I think it would be a good idea for you to encourage others to read around the subject, as well as answering their questions directly. Better still, give them references to articles etc, where they might find better understanding. I think that sometimes a one off answer is great, but can only give an encapsulated focus on one direct point. Some of the posts I've read on this board make it obvious that your assistance is needed in promoting further knowledge. With kind regards.
I want to grow our body....
I am 19 and weigh 256. I stand at 5 foot 10 inches. I work out and I am pretty big. I bench around 300 and can run the 100 meter dash in 12 seconds. I was wondering what could I do or use to further increase my limit?
yo thanks alot bro! This information is extremely helpful. As a young and new bodybuilder @ 21, this information with supplements and all is very good knowledge to know for life! Thanks again, rock on.
how testosterone can cause gynecomastia?
Your body is always trying to balance itself to be in homeostasis. When testosterone levels are raised, your body can raise estrogen to counteract high T levels
Hy I am 14+ and my height 5.7 but my heighth have been stoped for 3 month.and I want to get much
height.is that.possibale?
Hi im 17, well 18 in a month. and im only 5ft 7. I hate being smaller than most of my mates and would really like to be at least 5ft 10 (at least) is there anything I can do that will help increase my height. you have recommended taking a multivitamin in the morning and drinking plently of water will this help to increase height or are there any legal products or things that I could do to grow.
P.S. i am a keen golfer and because i am small it means that I am not able to hit the ball quite as far. So therefore not only will i be able to increase my self esteem, but I will also perform better at my golf, which is why being small bothers me so much. Please help.
hey i was wondering if anyone could help me out with weight gain and size building,
im 15 and weigh 55kg (110 lbs approx) anyway, i really need to put on alot of mass what can i do to help myself?
hi
i am going to be 19 this march and my height is is a.lil bit greater than 5.10 u can say 179cm...but my father is 5.7 and from mother side all are above 6ft... i also do workout. and k also want to ask that if i use whey protein and then stop using that...then it will have any effect on decreased.muscle growth or muscle size will remain that?
hi my name is mason. I am 26 years old going on 27 in march i lift weights eat healthy, make sure it's enough protein and zinc in my meals, But for some reason i can't seem to gain facial hair. Even my cousin at 25-26 is beating me with more facial hair and a manly look! i'm only 5'8" and can only grow a few whiskers under my chin, and above my lip. When i shave it takes a long time to grow the whiskers back. I'm tired of going to the restaurant and the waiter is talking to me like i'm thirteen! Well to get to the point my question is are there any foods that boost testosterone levels?, what should i eat? And are there any supplements i can take that don't have a or no side-effects?
One of the warning you said was that synthetic growth hormone can increase hair growth. That doesn't sound like a negative.
It is if you are a woman
hey,I'm Brian.I don't use supplements and recently I have been told that I look taller and I have actually grown about two inches in height,wondering how and why this would happen at age 38,unless my hgh has increased considerably,I don't understand it and neither can my friends or family.I am now taller than people that were around the same height.I do eat healthy foods,like lean chicken and lots of broccoli and greens.I omit sugar from my diet most of the time.Just wondering if anyone could explain this.
Most likely it is improved posture.
Most likely you have improved your posture. After puberty your physeal (growth) plates close and long bone growth ceases. I had a slouch posture. One day I decided to sit up straight in the golf cart next to my golf buddy. He just looked amazed as now my head was well above his, almost hitting the cart. I have a little trick to remind me to work on my posture. Whenever I notice an attractive woman I conciously try to stand in perfect posture and by the way work on my abs by tightening them (there are a variety of ways to do this). Works for me...
Hi brian i m ritik from India can height increase at age of 24....
I am nearly 16 but only 5'5" and haven't grown in past year, and will protein bars help boost growth?
Not necessarily. Proper diet is top priority. Trainers around the world and back again strongly recommend that you eat 5 smaller meals a day about 3-4 hours apart. The reason for this, is because having steady sugar and insulin levels in your body promotes weightloss and is much healther for you. You can use protein bars or even fruits and veggies to keep you full in between "breakfast", "lunch" or "dinner". They usually have good protein content with some fat and carbs to give both fast and slow burning energy.
My recommendation would be to stay away from processed foods like cereal and poptarts and start to eat whole foods like nuts, berries, and greek yogurt. Also remember to take a multivitamin in the morning everyday. Water is also very important. The same recepters that tell your braing that you are hungry, are the same ones that tell your brain that you are thirsty. Drink at least 100oz. of water a day to make sure that your body is constantly flushing out the bad stuff and delivering that good stuff to your muscles and oragans Hope this helps
Hello, I'm 16 year old male, and I'm 6'4. I have very high metabolism and although I eat plenty of food, I still only weigh 155lbs. I want to be around 175-180lbs by 2014. I will be going to the gym and taking Mutant Mass and eating right. Any recommendations to help me reach my goal. Also, do you believe it is achievable?