Originally developed to help address development disorders, a drug called somatropin (also sold as the branded drug, Genotropin) is being touted as the ultimate weapon against ageing and the elixir of youth. Devotees claim it can do everything from reducing body fat and increasing muscle mass to reversing the signs of ageing. But critics say that in their quest for beauty, users are playing with a ticking timebomb, suggesting that the legacy of the drug could be joint and muscle pain, diabetes and even cancer. Atropine is a synthetic version of a hormone that occurs naturally in the body.
Human growth hormone (hGH) is essential for body growth and is produced by the body in increasing amounts throughout childhood. Production peaks in most people around the age of 30 and then declines. So, at the age of 20, you probably produce around 500 micrograms of hGH a day; by the time you're 40, it's closer to 200 micrograms; and at the age of 80, it's likely to be no more than 25 micrograms. Convinced that these diminished levels are the cause of the ageing process, affluent 40 and 50-somethings are illegally procuring the drug over the internet or via unscrupulous doctors.
Think of any A-list woman of a certain age and it's almost a given that she's been linked to hGH. Stanford University carried out a review of all the research into hGH, concluding that using the growth hormone resulted in small changes in body composition and an increased likelihood of conditions such as diabetes. They said: 'On the basis of this evidence, growth hormone cannot be recommended as an anti-ageing therapy.' Unfortunately, that's unlikely to stop anyone who rails against the passage of time and is convinced that a drug can stop the clock.
