Question
I really think what’s missing in my case are higher IGF-1 levels, so I’ve been looking to GH releasers. My first stop was MK677, but that stuff put almost 10lbs of water weight on me! I’ve also heard arginine works, so I started researching that and other aminos, finally finding a product called Secretagogue 1 Gold.
Can you tell me if it works, and whether effervescent delivery really makes a big difference?
Answer
First and foremost, I’d get a blood test for IGF-1 levels if indeed you think that’s your “problem.”
Personally I doubt whether the absence of just one hormone can make that much of a difference, unless we’re talking about testosterone. Even then, it’s never just one hormone – it’s ALL of them working in concert together.
When you hear of people chasing the fountain of youth, that’s usually what they’ll need to replicate. It hasn’t happened yet, and I rather doubt today’s supplements are going to do that for you.
GH Releasers
But let’s talk about this secretagogue one product, because I’ve heard people reference it before.
The main ingredients in the 5.5g proprietary blend are glycine, glutamine, GABA and Alpha GPC.
While all of these have been shown to result in some GH release, none elevate them around the clock and therefore their impact is going to be minimal (from an acute perspective).
You also need multiple grams of all those aminos to see anything. As an example, you don’t start to see meaningful numbers until you’ve ingested around 10g of Glycine. Most oral L-glutamine is eaten up in the stomach lining, GABA you need 3 to 5 grams of etc.
Alpha GPC has been shown to cause a slight rise in GH at around the 900mg mark, but upwards of 1.2 grams or more are necessary to see anything significant – and it’s one of the last ingredients listed.
It’s All About Sleep
Effervescent delivery can cause the stomach to dump its contents into the duodenum, but honestly there’s nothing related to that that points to greater GH release.
If you’re going to use one of these natural options, I’ve long told people to pick either GABA or Glycine and dose that appropriately at bedtime.
Yes, there’s research showing they’ll both elevate GH – but that’s not why I recommend them.
I recommend them because they both have studies showing sounder sleep.
Sleep is when your body repairs itself and grows larger and stronger.
Simply sleeping better WILL lead to a more productive cascade of ALL hormones necessary to maximize training adaptions, building more muscle and burning more fat.
Bottom Line
Stick with the two items I mentioned. They’re economical, effective and there’s no effervescent delivery necessary for either.
Hope that helps…
