Somaderm Review: Can growth hormone make you thinner and healthier?

I was actually in the middle of writing something else when I got my third email from someone selling Somaderm, a homeopathic Human Growth Hormone (HGH) gel made by a company called New U Life. I took that as a sign from the universe, stopped what I was doing, and got down to finally writing this Somaderm review.

The first email I ever got from a Somaderm distributor was weird and cryptic. It was only a few lines, addressing me by name, and asking me, ‘have you tried the gel?’.

I had no idea what gel she was talking about: contraceptive gel, moisturizing gel, hair gel, whatever.

When I asked her what in the world she was talking about, her email was really enthusiastic:

We have ALL kinds of people in the business; nurses, doctors, athletes, lawyers etc.

I started using it in April and was blown away which is why I joined the business. It helped everything from giving me more energy (I was a nap taker lol), to giving me better sleep, to helping with my back (sciatica issues), to even weirdly enough helping with my esophagitis that I lived with for 8 years (miserably so).

To me, it’s liquid gold. I have never found anything that helped so many issues in one single bottle.

Can you rub HGH on your skin and reap all sorts of benefits? Liquid gold? Esophagitis?

Sounds shifty AF.

When I asked her to send me some so I could try it for myself before I review it, she said, “No we don’t do that sorry! If you decide to change your mind and actually want to try the product to see for yourself how awesome it is and then leave an actual review, please contact me.”

Alright then!

What Is New U Life?

The founder of New U Life is a certified homeopath, herbalist, ‘respected’ iridologist and a Nutritional Consultant (N.C.). None of those certifications are actually recognized by evidence-based medicine as having any meaning, but I guess in the alternative medicine world they’re legit. It’s important to note that each one of those designations has zero evidence behind it.

What Is HGH?

HGH is human growth hormone or somatotropin. It is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans.

HGH levels decline as you get older, starting after around age 25. According to New U Life, “This is when the dreadful aging process begins, as this hormone slowly declines for the rest of your life.”

The ‘dreadful aging process’? I don’t even know where to begin with that one.

New U Life Product Claims

New U Life claims that by supplementing with their product, users can get their HGH levels back to peak levels, which the company says ‘are associated with’:

better mood
hair growth
joint mobility
enhanced libido
healthier hair, skin & nails
greater muscle tone
increased strength
improved memory
increased bone density
increased fat loss (especially around the mid-section)

That’s a heck of a lot of promises, but wait.

Talking about aging like it’s the worst thing in the world is a clever (and dirty IMO) sales technique that operates on fear. You know as well as I do though, that nothing…and I mean, NOTHING – can stop aging. Thank goodness for aging, because it means that you’ve made it this far and you’re ALIVE!! Aging is a privilege!

What’s in Somaderm?

Somaderm contains three active ingredients:

Somatropin, which is human growth hormone.

Glandula Suprarenalis Suis, which is pig adrenal gland.

Thyroidinum, which is cow’s thyroid hormone.

I hope the users of Somaderm aren’t vegan!

As with all homeopathic ‘medicines’ (and I use that term loosely), the active ingredients must be watered down a LOT in order to not require a prescription.

Somaderm’s site states: In order for SOMADERM Gel to be an FDA registered product, Somatropin needed to be diluted to a 30X dose. Any less of a dilution would make SOMADERM Gel a “prescription only” product. Glandula Suprarenalis Suis 6X is added to support proper adrenal function and Thyroidinum 8X is added to support a healthy thyroid.

In homeopathy dosing, a 30X dose means that the ingredient has been diluted in a ratio of 1:9 with distilled water or alcohol. Then, this process is repeated 30 times. There is no standard dosage for what Somaderm’s claiming the product can do, so it’s impossible to compare the product dosage to anything. Homeopathic mixtures, however, are generally understood by evidence-based practitioners to be mostly water with minimal effectiveness overall.

The Science Behind Somaderm

Since science is the basis of this Somaderm review (and all of my reviews), I went in search of some research on the product. There are no studies under the ‘Science’ tab on the New U Life website. When I clicked through ‘Learn More’ hoping for some actual scientific research on HGH, it brought me to the sales page of Somaderm, along with information about how I could become a distributor.

Oh! The product is sold by MLM, how shocking!

There is no research behind this product at all. When I asked the distributor for it, her response was, “We have a medical advisory board and they know the thousand of doctors in the company want real research. It is coming. As soon as I have some I will send it to you.”

There are 15 studies that New U Life cite in its literature, although curiously they don’t link the studies to any of their specific claims. It’s just as well, since none of them proved that supplemental HGH has any benefits – anti-aging or not – in normal, non-HGH deficient people.

Let’s go through them:

This is merely research on growth hormone and its structure.
Done on older men, HGH given along with testosterone.
Another study on how endogenous (not supplemental) growth hormone works in the body.
This is out of a textbook, and discusses HGH treatment in deficient adults.
Again, more about HGH treatment in deficient adults.
Done on power athletes, results inconclusive.
This study on human sex hormones and diabetes is completely unrelated to HGH.
Talks about sex hormones in aging men.
This is about growth hormone supplementation for deficient adults.
This study talks about HGH and bone growth.
Done on patients with acute respiratory failure who are mechanically ventilated, and results were poor.
From “The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs by Ron Teeguarden”. PASS
Study not available.
This 1989 study focuses on adults with HGH deficiency. SIGH
This study had 16 people.

See how companies like to cite ‘research’ that the layperson thinks is legit, but probably won’t comb through to see how it’s not?

And here’s something verrrrrry interesting! Early this year, New U Life got cited by the ASRC for making false claims – the very claims I’ve listed above. “Specifically, the marketer failed to submit any competent and reliable evidence to demonstrate that the Somaderm Gel formula and/or transdermal administration would provide the purported health benefits of HGH.”

There are other unsavoury things I have seen and heard about Somaderm, such as erasing negative reviews on Facebook and using physicians who have less-than-stellar reputations.

Is HGH harmful?

HGH is used for GH (growth hormone) deficiency, a very real medical problem that requires an actual doctor (not a naturopath or MLM salesperson) to treat. And yes: if you’re deficient in GH, you will know about it.

For GH deficiency, HGH is delivered by injections that are prescribed by a doctor.

This isn’t what Somaderm is all about, though.

If you’re not GH deficient, supplementing with HGH can cause joint pain and swelling, and an increased risk of diabetes. It MAY also be related to an increased risk for cancer.

I’m confused by New U Life’s answer to the safety question. They state, “Where HGH replacement therapy can become dangerous lies within self administering the hormone without any supervision, with incorrect dosing, and improper guidance.”

Isn’t that what users are doing? New U Life is essentially saying that their product is harmful.

*FACEPALM*