Increase Your Growth (Repair) Hormone Naturally

Just a quick note to say what some may already know...  In my studies on Melatonin and Human Growth Hormone, I keep running across the expert opinion that taking Melatonin at bed-time and turning in between 9-10 pm causes a natural doubling in the amount of Growth Hormone one would have secreted otherwise.

Blood levels of Melatonin naturally decline as you age, this decline probably being at least one cause of insomnia as you get older.  I've just came across several studies that seem to bear out the opinion that bedtime Melatonin increases blood levels of Growth Hormone, and that make me much more confident in recommending to all my patients, that they start around 35-45 years of age, taking 1 to 3 mg of Melatonin at bedtime, and trying really heard to get to bed at a decent hour.  HGH, as you may know, is responsible for hundreds of good things in your body, from healing damage to keeping you as youthful as possible.  Wouldn't it be great if you could double your HGH levels simply by taking a completely safe and natural supplement and going to bed before the late show?



I have been doing both these things for about 6 months, and I'll have to admit I can see a subtle but real difference in my ability to be more fit and to heal, both physically and mentally.  You must understand, this confession comes begrudgingly from a formerly self-avowed night-owl!  For decades I prided myself on staying up really late; it was my prime quiet time to study and contemplate.  Now I will have to eat a little crow and admit to the wisdom of old Ben Franklin's saying that my grand-mother quoted to me often, " Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." 

Yeah, I know, Granny, I know...

Can You Speed Healing After Surgery?

Here is a study that seems to show what many of us suspected.  Ligament tears in the knee are the injury/surgery looked at in this study, and the results look quite promising.

     Click here to read the Study Abstract...

Here is the important part of the Abstract:

During this inflammatory challenge (injury/surgery), the peak isometric force increases after surgery were significantly lower in those with plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations <30 ng/mL compared with those with concentrations ≥30 ng/mL. The authors conclude that low vitamin D appears to hinder strength recovery after anterior cruciate ligament surgery and during inflammatory insult.

This makes perfect sense, considering  the biochemistry of Vitamin D.  It seems a very wise idea to recommend Vitamin D supplementation both before and after any surgical procedure to improve recovery time and repair.  Getting your Vitamin D level checked as part of the pre-op lab work-up also seems a wise decision.

This study does not prove that having a good Vitamin D level promotes healing, but it sure does seem to suggest it.  Supplementing Vitamin D in yourself or a loved one about to undergo any type of surgery, or after an injury, sounds like a very cheap and safe way to protect and heal tissue, with virtually no down-side.

A simple blood test can reveal your current Vitamin D level.  Has anyone had problems getting their Doc to order the test?  Do you know your Vitamin D level?

Oh, and for two weeks before and after surgery, DON'T SMOKE!  Sorry, had to throw that one in there.

Just a thought...