Baseline vs. On-Cycle IGF-1 & Test Levels: Is 2 IU HGH Worth It with High Baseline?

[MTSpace]

Hey everyone, looking for some insight or feedback on my latest bloodwork and overall protocol.

My Stats & Baseline:

Baseline IGF-1: 243 ng/ml

Baseline Z-score: 1.7

HGH Protocol & Results:

Dose: 2 IU daily for 4 weeks

Blood draw timing: 2 weeks after stopping HGH

Post-HGH IGF-1: 412 ng/mL Post-HGH Z-score: 2.7

TRT Protocol & Results (200 mg/week):

Total Testosterone: 1,340 – 1,390 ng/dL

Free Testosterone: 280 – 310 pg/mL

My Main Question:

Given that my natural baseline IGF-1 sits at 243 (Z-score 1.7), is running exogenous HGH actually worth the risk/cost for me long-term?

I’ve read that targeting an IGF-1 level around ~300 ng/mL and maintaining that for 6–12 months (or long-term) is a common sweet spot for anti-aging and tissue recovery without pushing into excessive supra-physiological territory. Spike-wise, 2 IU pushed me up to 412 even after being off for two weeks.

A few specific points I’d love feedback on:

1. For those with naturally high baselines, do you bother with HGH, or do you stick to peptides/TRT alone?

2. Is targeting ~300 ng/mL realistic without constantly overshooting on low-dose HGH?

3. How are you managing insulin sensitivity or other markers when running Test + HGH alongside GLP-1s?

Appreciate any experiences, thoughts, or protocol adjustments you all might share!

 

[Rdg1970]

man those are great questions, hopefully someone with some knowledge will respond

 

[Troposphere]

I have read that a z score over 3 carries a risk of acromegaly.

I'm in my 50s and 3iu hgh gets me a z score of 1.7 (igf 238)

 

[Habibibi]

MTSpace said:


2. Is targeting ~300 ng/mL realistic without constantly overshooting on low-dose HGH?

3. How are you managing insulin sensitivity or other markers when running Test + HGH alongside GLP-1s?

Click to expand...

2. Target z-score, not levels. 300 for a 50 year old is different than 300 for a 20 year old. As for the question of whether that's an anti aging dose, no one answer that, and multiple studies actually show that it is lower igf1/m-TOR levels that extend life in various organisms, higher levels don't do anything, and can shorten lifespan.

3. Remember that GLP1 are diabetic drugs, not just weight loss drugs. That's what they were created for. I'd your GLP1 dose is not keeping your insulin sensitivity in check, increase your dose, or drop hgh.

 

[frankpeptid]

Your baseline IGF1 is high already. I'd pass on HGH ... despite the hype. JMO / research

 

[sfkid]

MTSpace said:


Hey everyone, looking for some insight or feedback on my latest bloodwork and overall protocol.

My Stats & Baseline:

Baseline IGF-1: 243 ng/ml

Baseline Z-score: 1.7

HGH Protocol & Results:

Dose: 2 IU daily for 4 weeks

Blood draw timing: 2 weeks after stopping HGH

Post-HGH IGF-1: 412 ng/mL Post-HGH Z-score: 2.7

TRT Protocol & Results (200 mg/week):

Total Testosterone: 1,340 – 1,390 ng/dL

Free Testosterone: 280 – 310 pg/mL

My Main Question:

Given that my natural baseline IGF-1 sits at 243 (Z-score 1.7), is running exogenous HGH actually worth the risk/cost for me long-term?

I’ve read that targeting an IGF-1 level around ~300 ng/mL and maintaining that for 6–12 months (or long-term) is a common sweet spot for anti-aging and tissue recovery without pushing into excessive supra-physiological territory. Spike-wise, 2 IU pushed me up to 412 even after being off for two weeks.

A few specific points I’d love feedback on:

1. For those with naturally high baselines, do you bother with HGH, or do you stick to peptides/TRT alone?

2. Is targeting ~300 ng/mL realistic without constantly overshooting on low-dose HGH?

3. How are you managing insulin sensitivity or other markers when running Test + HGH alongside GLP-1s?

Appreciate any experiences, thoughts, or protocol adjustments you all might share!

Click to expand...

HGH is not something you run for short term. Specially low dose. You need to run it for at least 3 months to see anything meaningful.

Also , how do you feel is just as important as looking at the numbers .

Is it helping your sleep and recovery? Are you starting to see some fat loss?

It's never just , let's keep my score below 300.

 

[MTSpace]

sfkid said:


HGH is not something you run for short term. Specially low dose. You need to run it for at least 3 months to see anything meaningful.

Also , how do you feel is just as important as looking at the numbers .

Is it helping your sleep and recovery? Are you starting to see some fat loss?

It's never just , let's keep my score below 300.

Click to expand...

What’s your experience with HGH? What levels are you checking? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[sfkid]

MTSpace said:


What’s your experience with HGH? What levels are you checking? Any advice is appreciated.

Click to expand...

Been running for over 3 months now.

Started at 2ui daily and ran that for 8 weeks with 4 weeks labs.

This was my igf-1 on 2 IU.

I had swelling of ankles when I did it daily.

Switched to 4 IU M/W/F and take weekends off to see if side affects go away. They did. No swelling at all.

Here is 4iu labs.

Here is zcore :

All labs are done Mondays so you can see the higher igf on 2iu vs 4iu becuase I'm not taking gh on weekends and your igf will drop back to normal with in 24 - 48 hours.

I love the results from GH. It's a great synergy if your are on trt.

It takes time though. You need to run it for 3 to 6 months at least.

I have 2 year supply in the freezer

 

[CNCCurrency]

sfkid said:


Been running for over 3 months now.

Started at 2ui daily and ran that for 8 weeks with 4 weeks labs.

This was my igf-1 on 2 IU.

View attachment 34844

I had swelling of ankles when I did it daily.

Switched to 4 IU M/W/F and take weekends off to see if side affects go away. They did. No swelling at all.

Here is 4iu labs.

View attachment 34845

Here is zcore :

View attachment 34846

All labs are done Mondays so you can see the higher igf on 2iu vs 4iu becuase I'm not taking gh on weekends and your igf will drop back to normal with in 24 - 48 hours.

I love the results from GH. It's a great synergy if your are on trt.

It takes time though. You need to run it for 3 to 6 months at least.

I have 2 year supply in the freezer

Click to expand...

I am doing igf test on Monday. Will post results probably friday. I am curious after 3 months since last test?

 

[sfkid]

CNCCurrency said:


I am doing igf test on Monday. Will post results probably friday. I am curious after 3 months since last test?

Click to expand...

The most latest results are what I posted .

Igf1 256

Zscore 1.4

Igf resets to base line with 1 week of stopping GH.

 

[CNCCurrency]

sfkid said:


The most latest results are what I posted .

Igf1 256

Zscore 1.4

Igf resets to base line with 1 week of stopping GH.

Click to expand...

Lol I was referencing me.

 

[sfkid]

CNCCurrency said:


Lol I was referencing me.

Click to expand...

The other thing people forget is that GH can mess with your insulin and make you diabetic you dont monitor.

• HGH stimulates the liver and kidneys to produce and release more glucose.
  
• it blocks muscle and fat cells from efficiently absorbing glucose from the bloodstream.
  
• HGH breaks down stored body fat, flooding the blood with free fatty acids which further worsens insulin resistance.
  
• The pancreas secretes more insulin to overcome this resistance, leading to higher circulating insulin marker

Here is my fasting insulin trend on GH:

As you can see on daily 2IU it was rising.

On 4IU M/W/F it dropped significantly lower to 3.9.

Honestly and to be fully transparent, Im not 100% sure if that last drop is do to protocol change or me adding 30 minutes low impact cardio 5 days a week to my workout regime.

 

[MTSpace]

sfkid said:


The other thing people forget is that GH can mess with your insulin and make you diabetic you dont monitor.

• HGH stimulates the liver and kidneys to produce and release more glucose.
  
• it blocks muscle and fat cells from efficiently absorbing glucose from the bloodstream.
  
• HGH breaks down stored body fat, flooding the blood with free fatty acids which further worsens insulin resistance.
  
• The pancreas secretes more insulin to overcome this resistance, leading to higher circulating insulin marker

Here is my fasting insulin trend on GH:

View attachment 34908

As you can see on daily 2IU it was rising.

On 4IU M/W/F it dropped significantly lower to 3.9.

Honestly and to be fully transparent, Im not 100% sure if that last drop is do to protocol change or me adding 30 minutes low impact cardio 5 days a week to my workout regime.

Click to expand...

This is interesting. I believe an additional 150 minutes of cardio would certainly help your glucose levels as the diabetics in my life have much better glucose levels when they are active.

My business partner, who is type 1 diabetic, uses significantly less insulin when we hike or back pack verses when he sits in an office in front of the computer.

The question would be how much of your improvement is from additional cardio and how much is from new protocol???

 

[sfkid]

MTSpace said:


This is interesting. I believe an additional 150 minutes of cardio would certainly help your glucose levels as the diabetics in my life have much better glucose levels when they are active.

My business partner, who is type 1 diabetic, uses significantly less insulin when we hike or back pack verses when he sits in an office in front of the computer.

The question would be how much of your improvement is from additional cardio and how much is from new protocol???

Click to expand...

Im not willing to stop the cardio for 6 weeks and retest to find out

Either way I see it as win. I can up my dose of GH without having to over think the impact of insulin resistance.

 

[MTSpace]

sfkid said:


Im not willing to stop the cardio for 6 weeks and retest to find out

Either way I see it as win. I can up my dose of GH without having to over think the impact of insulin resistance.

Click to expand...

When and how much will you updose HGH? For how long?

 

[sfkid]

MTSpace said:


When and how much will you updose HGH? For how long?

Click to expand...

For now will stay at 4iu 3x a week. I love the results and I don't see a need to push it.

Honestly id run it for the foreseeable future. This though depends on sourcing . Luckily I have years worth in the freezer.

 

[Turbo-Farmer]

sfkid said:


Been running for over 3 months now.

Started at 2ui daily and ran that for 8 weeks with 4 weeks labs.

This was my igf-1 on 2 IU.

View attachment 34844

I had swelling of ankles when I did it daily.

Switched to 4 IU M/W/F and take weekends off to see if side affects go away. They did. No swelling at all.

Here is 4iu labs.

View attachment 34845

Here is zcore :

View attachment 34846

All labs are done Mondays so you can see the higher igf on 2iu vs 4iu becuase I'm not taking gh on weekends and your igf will drop back to normal with in 24 - 48 hours.

I love the results from GH. It's a great synergy if your are on trt.

It takes time though. You need to run it for 3 to 6 months at least.

I have 2 year supply in the freezer

Click to expand...

When comparing exogenous HGH (synthetic Human Growth Hormone) and Tesamorelin in the context of insulin resistance, Tesamorelin is significantly safer and far less likely to worsen blood sugar control.

While both compounds increase circulating growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1, how they deliver that signal to your cells makes all the difference for your glucose metabolism.

1. Exogenous HGH: Direct Antagonist to Insulin

Directly injecting HGH bypasses your body's natural regulatory system. While growth hormone promotes fat loss and muscle retention, GH inherently antagonizes insulin:

Decreases Glucose Uptake: HGH downregulates how effectively skeletal muscle and peripheral tissues absorb glucose from the bloodstream.

Spikes Free Fatty Acids: By rapidly triggering lipolysis (breaking down stored fat), it floods the bloodstream with fatty acids, which directly impairs insulin signaling at the cellular level.

Risk: High or sustained doses of exogenous HGH frequently lead to elevated fasting blood glucose, increased HbA1c, and heightened insulin resistance.

2. Tesamorelin: Pulsatile Release & Visceral Fat Reduction

Tesamorelin is a GHRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone) analog. Rather than putting GH straight into your system, it signals your pituitary gland to produce and release its own GH.

Preserves Natural Pulses: Because it works through your body’s natural feedback loops, GH is released in physiological pulses rather than a steady, unnaturally high wave. This pulsed delivery is much easier on insulin sensitivity.

Neutral Glucose Impact: Clinical trials—including studies specifically in type 2 diabetic patients—show that Tesamorelin generally causes no significant negative impact on glucose tolerance or fasting insulin levels.

Targets Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT): Tesamorelin was specifically designed and FDA-approved to reduce deep visceral fat (the abdominal fat surrounding internal organs). Because visceral fat is a major driver of systemic inflammation and insulin resistance, reducing VAT often leads to downstream improvements in overall metabolic health.

 

[chewonmysac]

sfkid said:


The other thing people forget is that GH can mess with your insulin and make you diabetic you dont monitor.

• HGH stimulates the liver and kidneys to produce and release more glucose.
  
• it blocks muscle and fat cells from efficiently absorbing glucose from the bloodstream.
  
• HGH breaks down stored body fat, flooding the blood with free fatty acids which further worsens insulin resistance.
  
• The pancreas secretes more insulin to overcome this resistance, leading to higher circulating insulin marker

Here is my fasting insulin trend on GH:

View attachment 34908

As you can see on daily 2IU it was rising.

On 4IU M/W/F it dropped significantly lower to 3.9.

Honestly and to be fully transparent, Im not 100% sure if that last drop is do to protocol change or me adding 30 minutes low impact cardio 5 days a week to my workout regime.

Click to expand...

I think it is probably both.I have increased my cardio as well and I usually hate cardio. Now I almost look forward to it. Lots of people switching to EOD and double dose. Seems to minimize side effects while allowing a 24hr reset. Im up to a 3iu daily and don't get my bloods again for a few weeks. Feel great and my mini love handles and lower back fat are finally disappearing. Love this shit.

 

[sfkid]

chewonmysac said:


I think it is probably both.I have increased my cardio as well and I usually hate cardio. Now I almost look forward to it. Lots of people switching to EOD and double dose. Seems to minimize side effects while allowing a 24hr reset. Im up to a 3iu daily and don't get my bloods again for a few weeks. Feel great and my mini love handles and lower back fat are finally disappearing. Love this shit.

Click to expand...

I used to walk daily for 10k plus steps and honestly it did zero for me as far as blood markers are concerned or move the needle on the scale.

For me, 30 minutes of stair master at about 120bpm did wonders. Low impact, keep the HR constant, 5 days a week - lowered my hematocrit to 48 from 55, lowered my fasting insulin and fasting glucose.

Its a game changer...

 

[MTSpace]

Any other variables on lowering your hematocrit? That’s a large delta.