HGH Cycle Guide (beginners, muscle gain, results, & dosage)

January 9, 2024 |

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Human Growth Hormone, the youth drug as some describe it, has become one of, if not the most popular peptide on the planet.

It is naturally produced by the pituitary gland, mostly at night, and begins to taper off as we age.

Many have opted to replace their lack of Growth Hormone or even introduce more to receive the physiological benefits of HGH.

Using HGH for its physiological benefits centers around increasing Beta Oxidation, Muscle Growth, and Recovery.

The mechanism HGH uses for these benefits differs slightly and depends on how the usage of peptides.

You can also look to introduce other compounds with HGH to amplify the respective benefits.

Using HGH is technically not allowed by law or WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), yet many athletes will run the risk and use it anyways.

But how exactly does it work? Let’s take a look.

How to Cycle HGH

Bodybuilders have popularized the term “cycling,” – referring to using a substance or supplement for some time and changing the variables of that compound to get the best possible effects.

Many will use this term when referring to Steroids and Peptides such as HGH. HGH is a very interesting peptide since many people use it year-round.

HGH growth hormone formula

You don’t need to ‘cycle’ HGH.

Yes, introducing any hormone (including HGH) will downregulate your production of the said hormone, and you will have some form of post-cycle treatment (PCT) to treat this.

In the case of HGH, you will see downregulation of HGH production of the pituitary gland and some other side effects such as insulin resistance.

HGH is unlike other bodybuilding compounds that need to be cycled on and off for health reasons.

It doesn’t have a lot of health side effects.

If you choose to come off at some point, you might aid from some growth hormone secretagogues such as MK-677 to help increase your natural production.

How much HGH do you need for a cycle?

The actual amount of HGH you need to feel the positive effects of the drug differs from person to person and can be influenced by factors such as:

  • Quality: Growth Hormone is still a very hard compound to produce, and if you buy from an underground site, you might be getting lower-quality growth.
  • Exposure: Growth Hormone is very sensitive to sunlight, and some producers do not take great care to keep it away from sunlight.
  • Genetics: Some people react extremely well to HGH, and some do not. This is purely based on genetics, and it is very little you can do about it.

Overall, you should use as little as needed.

This will differ for every individual and typically be in the 2 – 3 units per day. That being said, bodybuilders have pushed as high as ten daily units.

HGH Cycle Price & Cost

The price of a human growth hormone (HGH) cycle can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the type and dose of HGH used, the length of the cycle, and other associated costs (such as lab tests, doctor visits, etc.).

Assuming that you’re talking about injectable HGH (rather than oral HGH or HGH treatment via gene therapy), a typical HGH cycle may cost anywhere from $500 to $3000.

The most common type of injectable HGH is Somatropin, which is typically dosed at 4-8 IU per day. A 5-6 week cycle of Somatropin at 8 IU per day would cost just over $1000, while a 12-week cycle at the same dose would cost just under $3000.

Of course, these are just ballpark figures – the actual cost of your HGH cycle will depend on a number of individual factors.

If you’re interested in learning more about HGH cycles and pricing, we encourage you to speak with a hormone specialist or medical professional.

How to Cycle HGH for Muscle Gain & Mass

Using HGH for muscle growth is a hot topic of discussion in bodybuilding.

You would use HGH to increase muscle mass by increasing levels of IGF-1 (Insulin Growth-like Factor 1).

This can cause muscle growth with the help of the food the Growth Hormone makes available to the different muscle cells.

To cycle HGH for muscle gain and mass, you will be using HGH for a long time.

 

HGH is not that great at increasing muscle size.

This is why bodybuilders would rather opt to use Anabolic Steroids to increase muscle size and strength and leave HGH for fat loss. HGH is also going to improve quality of life significantly and recovery as well.

Yes, most bodybuilders use HGH year-long, but practically zero use it alone for muscle gain.

You could use it for muscle gain, but if you plan to use it for a long time (20+ Weeks), keep in mind that your results won’t be that amazing.

You could stack your Growth Hormone with Insulin or Metformin to increase HGH effectiveness.

To use HGH for muscle gain, ideally inject the HGH before heading to bed, away from food.

The reason is that HGH will cause the release of both Lipase and Glucagon into the blood – which will increase Fat and Glucose levels in the blood.

This can then be used as fuel to drive anabolism while sleeping.

How to Cycle HGH for Fat Loss

Now we’re talking. Sure, HGH can help you gain a fraction of muscle mass, but in reality, it will be exceptional for fat loss.

Growth Hormone is often used by bodybuilders and recreational lifters for its fat loss capabilities.

This might be better than traditional fat loss agents (such as stimulants) because it works differently, doesn’t cause any jitters, and might also help with muscle retention.

How exactly does Growth Hormone cause fat loss?

  • Growth Hormone enters the bloodstream and begins circulating.
  • It reaches the pancreas, which in turn releases Lipase.
  • Lipase is a hormone that will release fatty cells from Adipocytes into the blood as Free Fatty Acids*

* This will mostly be done by lipoprotein lipase (LPL), produced not just by the pancreas but also by adipose tissue, cardiac and skeletal muscle, islets, and macrophages.

HGH is extremely good at lowering fat in the abdominal area, especially visceral fat.

This makes it a very effective fat burner, even amongst people who are not looking for performance enhancement.

While there is little science to back the timing of dosage, most bodybuilders know that to get the most amount of fat loss results, it is best to take Growth Hormone before early morning fasted cardio.

HGH Cycles Types

As you might know by now, Growth Hormone can be used in several ways to induce different results depending on how you use it and with what you use it.

Beginner HGH Cycle

Beginners should always have one line on their minds: as little as necessary. Using way too much early on is not only a recipe for side effects but also for emptying your wallet early on.

Regarding Growth Hormone, the side effects are relatively ‘low’ but can lead to some nasty results if you misuse the drug.

Beginners should keep their Growth Hormone dosage low, 1 – 2 units per day.

This will allow them to easily gauge the side effects and see what they need to do to get the best results.

Timing does not matter as a beginner, so taking it before bed away from food will probably be the easiest.

Intermediate HGH Cycle

When intermediates enter the conversation, you can start looking at increasing dosage, managing your dosage timing, and even introducing another compound.

You still don’t want to overdo anything, especially when it is unnecessary.

Dosage for intermediates can vary from 2 – 4 units per day.

Most people will opt to split dosing AM and PM at this point, but some will keep to one dose if they are deadset on a particular goal, fat loss, and muscle gain respectively.

You can look at introducing a compound called Metformin which will increase your insulin sensitivity, making the growth much more effective.

Advanced HGH Cycle

Advanced individuals can look towards massive doses and manage the sides by any means necessary.

That doesn’t mean we throw reason to the side, but if you want to be ‘advanced,’ you will need to make some sacrifices.

Dosages can vary from 5 – 8 units per day, and you will have to split the AM and PM. You can also look to introduce Insulin and Metformin to maximize your results.

If you end up using insulin, failing to manage your blood glucose levels can lead to serious side effects or even death.

HGH and Testosterone Stack Cycle

Polypharmacy has become incredibly popular, using various drugs with one another.

In the case of most bodybuilders, they will end up using Anabolic Steroids with peptides such as HGH. Testosterone is the most common Androgen to use, maybe barring Dianabol.

Neither Test nor HGH will have a ‘real’ interaction with the other. This means you need not worry about the side effects overlapping one another.

That being said, you should still run reasonable doses and not abuse the drugs.

HGH

Testosterone

Beginner: 1 – 2 Units per Day 250 – 350mg per Week
Intermediate: 2- 4 Units per Day 500 – 750mg per Week
Advanced: 5+ Units per Day 1000mg + per Week

One thing to note is that the higher your Test dosage gets, the more Estrogen and water retention you will get.

HGH can cause water retention, so running them together too high can lead to insane blood pressure issues.

Anavar and HGH cycle

Anavar is a popular oral Steroid that forms part of the dihydrotestosterone family.

This gives it certain characteristics such as not causing any Estrogen rise, a massive increase in strength, and cell volumization.

It’s not uncommon for a cutting cycle to contain both Anavar and HGH.

HGH

Anavar

Beginner: 1 – 2 Units per Day 20mg per day
Intermediate: 2- 4 Units per Day 20 – 40mg per day
Advanced: 5+ Units per Day 50mg + per Day

HGH and IGF-1 cycle

This is a rather interesting cycle idea, as HGH will naturally cause a massive spike in IGF-1 levels. Thus, running HGH and IGF-1 with one another would be completely redundant.

HGH Cycle Side Effects

As with most Drugs, there will be significant side effects, especially if you abuse the drug in question. Stacking HGH with other drugs could worsen (or lower) the side effects.

Regardless, here are the main side effects of HGH:

Insulin Resistance

HGH can cause some serious insulin resistance problems due to the mechanism in which it acts.

  • HGH will cause the release of both Glucagon and Lipase from the Pancreas.
  • The Glucagon will cause the release of Glycogen from the Liver.
  • This Glycogen will cause the release of Insulin from the Pancreas.

Repeating this process too often with too much severity can eventually lead to some serious insulin resistance problems.

You can run a lower dose of HGH or use Metformin to increase insulin sensitivity. Regardless, this insulin resistance can eventually lead to diabetes.

Edema

One of the effects of HGH is cell hydration through Sodium retention.

This makes Growth Hormone rather effective for injury management and recovery, but it can also lead to serious fluid retention.

This worsens when you add in Steroids and can lead to high blood pressure and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Downregulation of Natural HGH

When you introduce any exogenous hormone into the body, your body will naturally begin to slow down the production of the said hormone because why would you even need to produce more?

This is called a negative feedback loop, and HGH will cause the downregulation of your production.

Joint and muscle pain

Joint and muscle pain can be caused by the increase in IGF-1 levels that occurs when taking HGH cycles. This increase in IGF-1 can lead to increased inflammation and joint pain. Additionally, the high levels of HGH can cause wear and tear on the joints, leading to joint pain.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is another common side effect of taking HGH cycles. This is because the high levels of HGH can cause the wrists to swell up, putting pressure on the nerves in the wrist and causing pain.

Type 2 diabetes

HGH type 2 diabetes is another possible side effect of taking HGH cycles. This is because the high levels of HGH can cause the body to become resistant to insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels.

Legal Alternative to HGH (without side effects)

Human Growth Hormone is an illegal drug to use without a medical prescription. This means you could get into trouble with the law if you are caught with it.

Add to the fact that the side effects could be lethal if you abuse the drug, and it is not for most people.

If you are still looking for a way to boost your HGH levels, you can look at HGH-X2 available at CrazyBulk.

HGH cta

HGH-X is formulated with selected natural ingredients that will only boost your natural levels of HGH without causing adverse effects.

This also means that it and all the other products CrazyBulk produces are completely legal.

Read more on HGH-X2 here.

FAQs on Growth Hormone Cycle

Can HGH give you Gyno?

No, HGH cannot technically give Gyno, but bodybuilders will be eager to point out that HGH can cause Prolactin issues.

Prolactin is similar to Estrogen but will not cause Gyno. It will, however, worsen the slightest Estrogen you have and might cause your nipples to lactate.

What do you feel after injecting HGH?

Pain? It is an injectable so that you will feel pain and swelling.

Afterward, you’re not likely to feel any effects for weeks unless you use a lot, in which case you might feel water retention and high blood pressure.

Does Growth Hormone increase breast size?

No, Growth Hormone might decrease breast size.

Since female breasts are predominantly fat, and HGH can burn fat quite effectively, it would make sense that HGH can decrease breast size.

What should I eat when taking HGH?

Eat healthy and whole foods.

There are technically no bad foods you need to avoid at all costs while using HGH.

But if you are using HGH for physical development, you can look at utilizing the following foods:

  • Lean Proteins
  • Protein Powder
  • High Fiber Carbohydrates
  • Fruits and Vegetables

How long does HGH last in the fridge?

Human Growth Hormone must be constituted with bacteriostatic water and then placed in the fridge. HGH will last about 28 days in the fridge after being mixed.

How long do you run HGH?

Technically, for as long as you’d like.

Growth Hormone can be run indefinitely, and the only limiting factor might be your bank since HGH is rather expensive.

How long does HGH take to show results?

Results will vary greatly from one person to the other, the brand of HGH, and even how long said HGH spent in the sun.

Typically, you can expect to see results within ten weeks of using HGH.

Do you need to take Testosterone with HGH?

Absolutely not. This is a big misconception, and there is no reason why you would need to use HGH with Testosterone.

The synergy of the two could give you greater effects, especially anabolic, but it is not needed.

Does HGH increase Testosterone?

No, not really.

Some are eager to point out that because HGH can help with Libido, it should raise Testosterone levels, but no study has ever found this true.

What happens when you stop taking HGH?

Not much.

You will have low HGH production until your pituitary gland starts producing enough again. This process can be shortened by using an HGH booster like MK-677.

Do you take HGH every day?

You can, yes. Some individuals might opt to follow the five days on two days off approach, but many take it every day.

Is HGH good for bulking?

No, not really.

HGH is a phenomenal compound for losing body fat, but it is rather lackluster in gaining muscle mass. That being said, most bodybuilders will use it year-round.

Is HGH safer than steroids?

Steroids have a host of side effects such as causing Cholesterol, High Blood pressure, Neuro -, Hepato -, and Renal Toxicity.

Unless completely abused, yes, HGH is safer than Steroids.

Why is HGH illegal?

HGH is illegal because of medical reasons such as the ability to cause diabetes or worsen cancer.

Final Thoughts

Overall, while HGH is a powerful hormone that can provide many benefits, it is also risky and potentially harmful. For these reasons, we recommend using HGH-X2 as an alternative to help you reach your fitness goals safely and legally.

This product has been shown to help muscle gain, promote fat loss, and improve overall energy levels.

When used in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise program, HGH-X2 can help you achieve all of your fitness goals.

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