Dr. Weeks’ Comment: Having had my license unjustly suspended because of bias against integrative medical doctors, I have watched the science develop around the issue in my case: the master hormone, human growth hormone (HGH). Misunderstood to be illegal for doctors to prescribe for diseased patients, (it is only illegal to “distribute” for non-medical reasons like performance enhancement to professional athletes),   Here is the wording of the federal law:  “21 U.S.C.A. §333(e) Prohibited distribution of human growth hormone. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), whoever knowingly distributes, or possesses with intent to distribute, human growth hormone for any use in humans other than the treatment of a disease or other recognized medical condition, where such use has been authorized by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 355 of this title and pursuant to the order of a physician, is guilty of an offense..”

But now we see great benefit of injectable HGH at joints. We integrative doctors have long offered injections like this to hasten repair and recovery, and brilliant professional basketball owner  Mark Cuban has long advocated for the use of HGH to help his injured athletes recover to their full potential. 

Here is the study

Here is the Conclusion of the Study:    “In summary, the combination of rhGH and testosterone injections in conjunction with rehabilitative therapy consisting of joint manipulation and exercise therapy may hold promise for a number of patients with CLBP, helping a greater number of individuals than injections, manual therapy, or exercise alone. We currently hypothesize that the injection therapy leads to the stimulation of collagen formation resulting in strengthening of the ligaments and other dense connective tissues. The remodeling of these tissues may be a causative factor leading to long-term benefits with this treatment.

This case series has demonstrated that this line of investigation is safe, with 80% of the participants completing the study, and only one dropped out due to the injection procedure, which was due to local pain during the procedure. This form of treatment has demonstrated that it has potential to help what may be a large subgroup of patients with CLBP who have no satisfactory treatment options to recommend. To our knowledge, this is the first study using localized rhGH and testosterone injection therapy in patients with CLBP and demonstrates the potential benefits in a long-term continuation. The results of this case series support the development of randomized controlled trials comparing the use of placebo injections versus rhGH and testosterone injection therapy, with and without impairment-specific rehabilitation.”

Publicity of Study:

Human growth hormone (HGH) and steroids””proven performance-enhancers that were once the fuel behind the high-powered offenses of Major League Baseball””are increasingly becoming outcasts in the sports world.  But while their effectiveness (and potential unfairness) make them dirty words for stat geeks, HGH and steroids continue to emerge as tools in the pain care toolbox.A recent study in The Journal of Pain Research looked at the effect from injections of recombinant HGH and testosterone to the painful and dysfunctional areas in patients with chronic lower back pain. Pain ratings and self-rated functional outcomes were assessed.Thus far, long-term outcomes for HGH and testosterone injections for lower back pain (LBP) and chronic lower back pain (CLBP) have been mixed. An ongoing problem is the lack of a standardized definition for CLBP, with some studies considering it pain beyond 3 months, while others simply refer to “pain lasting longer than the expected healing time.”

The best results are typically for lumbar facet joint injection and physiotherapy treatment. Facet and sacroiliac joint denervation have demonstrated successful moderate-duration pain relief when the joint is determined to be the source of pain, but this treatment destroys some nervous tissue and, according to the study authors, “does not directly address pathology or modulate pain from areas other than the joint.”

In the case study presented in The Journal of Pain Research, 60 participants suffering from CLBP were given an experimental treatment. Those who responded favorably to diagnostic blocks were given injections of HGH and testosterone in the treated areas, along with some follow-up manipulation and impairment-based exercises. Of the 60 patients selected, 39 completed all aspects of the study. Those patients receiving the intervention reported a significant decrease in pain ratings (P<.01) and a significant improvement in self-rated scores on the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (P<.01)

Within the ODI results, 41% of the participants reported a greater than 50% improvement. There was also a statistically significant improvement in the participants’ reporting of symptoms, with an overall self-reported improvement of 74%, including 92% reporting a 50% or greater improvement (P<.001).Of those patients who did not complete all aspects of the study, one was due to pain related to the injections, while the others were for nonstudy factors.

“The intervention appeared to be safe and the results provide a reasonable expectation that the intervention would be beneficial for a population of individuals with chronic nonradicular lower back pain,” the study authors note.

The next step is a randomized, controlled trial for which controls for psychosocial and other variables can be instituted””a noted limitation of this study.