Human growth hormone (hGH and rhGH) is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland and is one of the major hormones influencing growth and development. Harvey Cushing discovered the hormone in 1912 and isolated it from human and monkey cadaver brains in 1956. Two years later it was used to treat dwarfism in children by injection. The unfortunate development of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a degenerative brain disorder, in boys who were treated with cadaver growth hormone led to the discontinuation of all products derived from the human pituitary gland. Because of this ban, the abuse of hGH was rare in sport until the middle to the end of the 1980s. In 1985 Genentech received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market Protropin for children with growth hormone deficiency. This was the first recombinant DNA form of growth hormone (rhGH) that was safer than cadaver extracts used in the past. Recombinant DNA technology made the production of pharmaceutical grade growth hormone easier and cheaper.
Olympic, professional and weekend athletes abuse hGH because of unsubstantiated reports that it is as effective as anabolic steroids with fewer side effects. They often abuse hGH as a steroid substitute to prevent loss of muscle after discontinuing the use of steroids. Ben Johnson admitted to using hGH along with steroids during investigations after his disqualification in Seoul.