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WHITE PLAINS, NY — December 8, 2003 — ConsumerLab.com has released a review of the scientific evidence behind human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) supplements. These products, which abound on the Internet, often promise to help people "Look and Feel 20 Years Younger," "Lose Unwanted Wrinkles," "Increase Muscle Mass," and "Enhance Sexual Performance." As an injectable prescription medication, HGH is approved for treating childhood growth failure. Its potential as an anti-aging drug for adults was reported in a 1990 New England Journal of Medicine article but later studies tempered the original findings. Nevertheless, this has spurred the marketing of several types of non-prescription supplements purported to have HGH-like effects.

"There is a great deal of hype around these supplements. We are often asked if they work and which are best," said Tod Cooperman, M.D., President of ConsumerLab.com. "This Review helps answer those questions."

The Review covers the three types of HGH supplements being sold: HGH releasing agents (also called HGH "enhancers" or "stimulators") comprised of amino acids that may cause a temporary increase in HGH levels; homeopathic HGH proposed to work through an "energy" imparted by extreme dilutions of HGH; and nanogram-strength HGH providing only one-thousandth the dose of prescription HGH. The Review also discusses IGF-1 enhancers, a related type of supplement. Specific products are described for illustration but were not tested for HGH since, by definition, none contain a significant amount of HGH.

The Review of HGH Supplements is now available to ConsumerLab.com subscribers at www.consumerlab.com/results/hgh.asp.

Product Reviews (based on testing by ConsumerLab.com) are also available online. New Reviews soon to be released include lutein, CoQ10, echinacea, zinc, and multivitamins/multiminerals. The recently published paperback, ConsumerLab.com's Guide to Buying Vitamins and Supplements: What's really in the bottle? is available in bookstores, online from www.consumerlab.com or through 800-431-1579.

ConsumerLab.com is a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition. The company is privately held and based in White Plains, New York. It has no ownership from, or interest in, companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell consumer products. ConsumerLab.com is affiliated with PharmacyChecker.com (www.pharmacychecker.com), an evaluator of online pharmacies. Subscription to Consumerlab.com is available online. For group subscriptions, Technical Reports, or product testing contact Lisa Sabin, Vice President for Business Development, at lisa.sabin@consumerlab.com.

Copyright ConsumerLab.com, LLC, 2003. All rights reserved.



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