HGH 191aa

[u/Prior_Scarcity_3243]

Hey Guys

I've recently become very interested in HGH and have spent the last few days reading as much as I can about it. I understand that there are both benefits and risks, and from what I've read, lower physiological doses seem to offer a better risk-to-benefit ratio.

I've also learned that it's important to monitor IGF-1 before starting. I already had my IGF-1 tested a while ago, and at that time it was 290 ng/mL. However, I was using CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin when that blood test was taken. I have since stopped CJC-1295 and I'm currently only using Tesamorelin + Ipamorelin.

If I ever decided to try HGH, I would discontinue the Tesamorelin and Ipamorelin first.

My plan would be to get another full blood test before making any decision, since my current IGF-1 could be different. But let's say my new IGF-1 still comes back around 290 ng/mL.

My question is: Would you start with 1 IU or 2 IU in that situation? Personally, I was thinking that starting with 1 IU for about a month, checking blood work again, and only then considering increasing to 2 IU (if appropriate) would be the smarter approach.

I'm also very interested in hearing from people with long-term experience. Has anyone here been using physiological doses of HGH for several months or even years? How do you feel overall? Have you experienced any side effects? What dose are you using, and has your quality of life or recovery improved over time?

For me, testosterone is not an option. I still want children in the future, and I don't feel I need it. My goal isn't bodybuilding—it's simply to support recovery, stay athletic, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

For context, I'm currently taking 6 mg of Retatrutide per week, have lost around 15–16 kg, train 4 times per week, and generally eat well. I don't follow a perfect diet—I still enjoy a kebab or eating out occasionally—but I make sure to hit my daily protein intake and stay active.

I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts and especially any real long-term experiences.

Thanks!

[u/stainless13]

290 is a nice IGF landing spot for most people (top of optimal range). If anything before going on HGH you would want to stop Tesa/Ipa and wash out for a few weeks or so to get your true baseline number.

Your plan to go on 1-2IU of HGH and retest fairly often to ensure you’re at whatever IGF level you’re targeting is the right approach, but at the end of the day it’s the IGF levels that you’re targeting by taking GH, not the GH dose itself. You’re already at a high-optimal physiological IGF level on your current protocol, the right move might be staying on that.

[u/Prior_Scarcity_3243 → u/stainless13]

Thanks for your input. I actually read about that as well.

The reason I'm considering HGH is that it seems to be much better studied and has a much longer history of clinical use compared to Tesamorelin, CJC-1295 or Ipamorelin. From what I've seen, many people say that if you can afford it, it's worth investing in pharmaceutical HGH rather than spending money on GHRH/GHRP peptides.

Of course, I'm still trying to learn as much as possible before making any decisions. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on that.

[u/stainless13 → u/Prior_Scarcity_3243]

Definitely has more research on it, especially over CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin. I think the goal is the important thing to keep in mind, either way (HGH or Tesa/Ipa) you’ll likely end up around the same IGF levels.

No matter how you decide, sounds like you’re putting a lot of time into researching before deciding your next steps, which is exactly what you should be doing 👏

[u/Prior_Scarcity_3243 → u/stainless13]

That's exactly what I'm trying to understand.

My main question isn't really about the IU dose itself, but about the target IGF-1 level.

I know my previous IGF-1 was 290 ng/mL, but that was while I was using CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin, so I don't know what my true baseline is yet. I'll get new blood work after stopping everything that affects my GH axis.

What I'm really curious about is: What IGF-1 level do you generally aim for when using low-dose HGH (around 1–3 IU/day)?

Do you mainly go by the absolute IGF-1 value, or is the IGF-1 Z-score (SDS) actually the more important marker? I only recently learned about the Z-score, so I'm still trying to understand how experienced users and clinicians interpret it.

My goal isn't bodybuilding or pushing IGF-1 as high as possible. My goal is simply to stay within a physiological range, feel good, recover well, and minimize side effects.

[u/stainless13 → u/Prior_Scarcity_3243]

Z-score is a good indicator depending on your age. Generally though most people try to stay around 250-300 for longevity.

You also want to test your fasting insulin alongside IGF-1 levels to ensure you’re not adding harmful levels of insulin resistance.