TOP 11 Hgh BOOSTING STRATEGIES — DMP Fitness

Shorter 12–16 hour fasts likely help as well, although more research is needed to compare their effects against full-day fasts.

BOTTOM LINE: Fasting can significantly increase human growth hormone levels, although more research is needed on shorter fasts.

3. Try an Arginine Supplement

Although most people tend to use amino acids like arginine around exercise, one study shows this has little or no benefit for HGH levels (31).

Two other studies confirmed this, finding no difference between exercise only or exercise plus arginine. However, when arginine was taken on its own and without any exercise, they did find a significant increase in HGH (32, 33).

Other non-exercise studies also support the use of arginine.

One study looked at the effects of taking either 45 or 114 mg of arginine per pound (100 or 250 mg per kg) of body weight, or around 6–10 or 15–20 grams per day.

They found no effect for the lower dose, but participants taking the larger dose had around a 60% increase in HGH levels during sleep (34).

BOTTOM LINE: Higher doses of an arginine supplement may improve growth hormone production, but not when taken around exercise.

 

4. Reduce Sugar Intake

An increase in insulin can lower HGH production.

Refined carbs and sugar raise insulin levels the most, so reducing your intake may help optimize growth hormone levels (24, 25).

One study found that healthy non-diabetic individuals had 3-4 times higher HGH levels than diabetics, who have impaired carb tolerance and insulin function (35).

Along with directly affecting insulin levels, excess sugar intake is a key factor in weight gainand obesity, which also affect HGH levels.

That being said, the rare sugary treat on special occasions will not impact your growth hormone levels in the long-term.

Aim to achieve a healthy and balanced diet. What you eat 90% of the time will have the most profound effects on your health, hormones and body composition.

BOTTOM LINE: Elevated insulin may reduce HGH production. Therefore, limit your intake of large amounts of sugar and refined carbs.

 

5. Don’t Eat a Lot Before Bedtime

Your body naturally releases significant amounts of growth hormone, especially at night (36, 37).

Given that most meals will cause a rise in insulin levels, some experts suggest avoiding food before bedtime (25).

In particular, a high-carb or high-protein meal may spike your insulin and potentially block some of the HGH released at night (38).

Yet while this makes sense in theory, there is a lack of direct research.

Nevertheless, insulin levels normally decrease 2–3 hours after eating, so you may wish to avoid carb- or protein-based meals 2–3 hours before bedtime.

BOTTOM LINE: More research is needed on the effects of nighttime eating on HGH. In the meantime, you may wish to avoid food 2–3 hours before bed.

 

6. Take a GABA Supplement

GABA is a non-protein amino acid that functions as a neurotransmitter, sending signals around the brain.

As a well-known calming agent for the brain and central nervous system, it’s often used to aid sleep. Interestingly, it may also help increase your HGH levels (39).

The most well-known study on this found a 400% increase in human growth hormone at rest and a 200% increase following exercise (40).

GABA should also help increase HGH levels by improving your sleep, since your night-time growth hormone release is linked to sleep quality and depth (41, 42).

However, most of these increases were short-lived and GABA’s long-term benefits for growth hormone levels remain unclear (39, 40).

BOTTOM LINE: GABA supplements may help increase HGH production, although this increase does seem to be short-lived.

 

7. Exercise at a High Intensity

Exercise is one of the most effective ways to significantly raise your HGH levels.

The increase depends on the type of exercise, intensity, food intake around the workout and the individual performing it (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49).

As shown by the black bars in the graph below, very large increases in HGH were seen in a weight lifting session with limited rest periods (10, 46).