Today I want to talk to you a little bit about Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

It’s a hormone that we produce naturally, and it naturally declines with age and lifestyle. 

HGH is produced by the pituitary gland, and it stimulates growth and cell reproduction. And as we age, it tends to decrease.

It’s also often given during IVF cycles to boost egg quality, if you have low AMH, are a poor responder in previous cycles, or when you are considered advanced maternal age (aka over 35).

I want to discuss how you can increase HGH naturally in between cycles or prior to your first cycle to improve your egg quality and boost your chances of getting pregnant.

Intermittent Fasting

The first way to do this is through intermittent fasting. This is all the rage these days and part of why it is popular is because it supports anti-aging.

Women are born with all the eggs they’ll will ever have, and it rapidly declines after 35. So, optimal human growth hormone can help with the quality of the remaining eggs you have.

There are few ways to do intermittent fasting, and one of the simplest way to get started is to stop eating for 12 hours between dinner and breakfast the next morning.

When you are not eating during this time, HGH is produced and pulses into your system. 

It increases glucose during this time, usually around 4am. 

Typically at that time you are sleeping and hopefully not eating. 

HGH is not produced when you are eating. So when you wake up in the morning and you’re not hungry, it’s because this hormone has kicked in. 

So what I would recommend is not eating between dinner and breakfast for at least 12 hours, so that you can really build up that human growth hormone. 

And if you are not hungry after 12 hours, it’s ok to keep going, as long as your energy levels are not depleted. 

If you are cycling, stick with 12 hours to keep your energy levels strong.

HIIT

The second way to stimulate HGH also includes the word “interval.” 

Losing body fat through high intensity interval training – or HIIT – is a wonderful way to mobilize fat and but also build human growth hormone.

Aim for about twenty minutes, 3-4 times a week. 

But don’t overdo it. 

The goal is to stimulate HGH, but overdoing exercise can lead to unwanted stress on your body and negatively affect your fertility. 

The way to know if you are not overdoing it is if you to feel energized after a workout and not depleted. 

Sleep

And finally, nothing will work if you don’t sleep. It is critical to all your hormonal balance. 

The focus is on quality and not quantity, so getting 7-9 hours of really good quality sleep is important. 

When you do this, you are allowing your body to rest and repair and HGH is being optimized.

So, if this isn’t happening for you, that is an critical area to work on. 

How do you prime your body for restful sleep?

• • Take steps during the day that promotes deep rest at night.
  • Prepare for your nightly routine by 9. 
  • Turn off your phones and screens.
  • Get to bed by 10 pm.

If your having a hard time sleeping, try a magnesium supplement or an Epsom salt bath before bed.

But really get into the habit of focusing on getting some sleep.

So, the three lifestyle changes you can make to improve HGH are:

Intermittent fasting – 12 hours of no food between dinner and breakfast (and preferably nothing but water) 

High Intensity Interval Training – 3-4 times a week at no more than 20 min.

Deep rest – Get 7-9 hours of restful sleep. 

And one more thing. 

Because fertility and trying to conceive includes your male partner as well, be sure to support your male partner to boost his HGH and fertility health as well. You can do these together.