Bradbury's solution to the HGH problem: legalize it

by Wreckard on Dec 20, 2007 12:36 PM CST

One of my favorite baseball bloggers, JC Bradbury, has an interesting article up today. He proposes that the best way to send a clear message about HGH is to remove it from the list of banned substances, since it's considered an ineffective PED by sports physiologists. By keeping it on the banned list, he reasons, you're sending a mixed message about its efficacy.

Pretty interesting read.

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I would argue

the most important reason to ban it is because of the potential long term health effects, not whether it is beneficial in healthy individuals. There is a reason the FDA has not approved HGH for use in otherwise healthy individuals.

I agree with the concern over the message you are sending young kids, and that should be a priority.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Dec 20, 2007 1:02 PM CST reply actions

it is approved....

hGH has been approved in healthy individuals since the late 80's.

It is prescribed in cases where children are not on a high percentile on the growth chart.

I know this because I had a family member who was 4'9" at the age of 15. He was prescribed hGH and hit two seperate growth spurts. His height is now 6'1". It improved his confidence greatly and he's doing great.

My own 8 yr. old son is a possible hGH candidate. We are holding off to see how he progresses naturally. I have NO reservation about this at all.

The problem/scare tactic lies in the old GH. This was taken from dead monkey pituitary glands. This posed problems. Then they took it from the pituitary glands from cadavers.

This is kind of 'close to home' for me and it bothers me when the media or other idiots get on their puritan soapbox and tell the 'heethens' how to live.

I commend this guy for writing the article. It gets people thinking...rather than just reacting and saying out of the box it is bad.

Donut jokes are not funny. They're way past funny. They're frickin' hilarious.

by MaTheMeatloaf on Dec 20, 2007 1:59 PM CST up reply actions

When I say healthy individuals

I mean those that are already producing a normal level of HGH in the pituitary gland.

HGH is a pretty potent hormone. What they aren't sure of, is the long term consequences of loading the body up with excessive levels of the stuff, which your normal physiology wasn't designed for.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Dec 20, 2007 2:06 PM CST up reply actions