7 Natural Ways to Boost HGH Release
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is a topic I often talk with my clients about. HGH, which is produced by the pituitary gland, is the primary hormone our body uses for growth and cell reproduction. Levels peak in puberty, and then generally decline after 30, which is when it gets harder and harder to build muscle and maintain a lean body, especially for women.
The good news is that your diet and lifestyle can significantly affect your HGH levels. Below, lets go over some ways to naturally boost your HGH release.
7 ways to stimulate your HGH production:
Perform High Intensity Weight Lifting
High intensity workouts, for example, like weightlifting, increase HGH levels, and women experience higher increase in hormone levels than men. The endocrine system, responsible for triggering hormone release, responds to the intensity or volume of your workouts. In other words, the more intense your workout, the more likely it is to trigger a hormonal response. Lactic acid is the cause of the boost in production of the human growth hormone. Lactic acid is created in your body when you perform anaerobic exercises only! This is because when you perform aerobic training your body is not in a state of constant tension, and it does not provide the adequate environment for the production of necessary lactates.
Eat HGH-rich foods.
HGH-rich foods include eggs, fish, mustard seeds, tomatoes, nuts, grapes, raspberries, and pomegranate. Another study found that a tryptophan-rich meal, combined with exposure to bright light outdoors during the day, significantly boosted HGH levels. Tryptophan-rich foods include eggs, milk, grains, beans, and meat.
Avoid High-Glycemic Foods
A carb-loaded diet reduces your HGH levels as a result of insulin. Staying away from high glycemic foods like bread, cereal, potato chips, baked goods, and sweets will keep your insulin levels low, and HGH higher.
Fast Intermittently.
Fasting (a daily 8-hour window with a 16-hour fast) is the key to major HGH gains. A study found that just three days into a fast, HGH levels went up by over 300%, and 1,250% after a week. Fasting also keeps your insulin levels low, as insulin spikes disrupt your natural growth hormone production.
Say NO to alcohol.
Alcohol disrupts HGH secretion by 80%, it raises your blood sugar levels, dehydrate you and cause the drop in HGH immediately. Drinking alcohol not only inhibits your muscle growth but it also disrupts your sleep.
Don’t eat before sleep.
It’s important not to have any food 2-3 hours before sleep to keep your insulin levels low, because that’s the only way HGH is created.
Optimize your sleep.
If you really want to build strength and muscle, improving your sleep can be a game changer. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, practice a relaxing bedtime ritual, and limit light exposure before bed.
Sleep is the other most powerful stimulus for HGH secretion besides high intensity workouts. Some even call sleep the natural steroid, as it’s one of the most effective keys to human growth hormone release. The body begins to release HGH during the deepest stages of slow-wave sleep.
Exercise, food, and sleep work together in a cycle to help you get the most out of your body’s HGH production. While exercise can help trigger production of human growth hormone, it can also improve your quality of sleep. And as you sleep, you release more HGH, promoting muscle recovery for the next day of training, and so the cycle continues.
