Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency

Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency– General Information

The Adult Human Growth Hormone (abbreviated HGH) is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland from the beginning until the end of life. In children it promotes the growth and has a very important role in the metabolism, not only of the children but also of the adults. The Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency is a medical disorder produced by the deficiency of the growth hormone, which can lead to small heights, for example. This deficiency is either caused by the surgery on the pituitary gland, either by hormone deficiencies in childhood.  In the body there exist many hormones which cope with the human growth hormone and make it work normally. Here is a list of these hormones:

• Progesterone – it is a hormone which is important for the glucose’s metabolism and helps in the bones formation.
• Estrogen – is a hormone which helps by decreasing the lost quantity of mineral from the bones and by increasing blood clotting.
• Thyroid hormones – are hormones that regulate the metabolism.
• Melatonin – stimulates the production of human growth hormone
• Dehydroepiandrosterone – helps the organism to maintain the normal levels of all the other hormones which exist in the human organism.

The Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency usually leads to major problems, no matter the age of the patient or its sex, as it affects both women and men. What cause the Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency are the following factors:

• Congenital malformation of the pituitary gland, hypothalamus
• Damage, surgery and injuries of the pituitary gland
• Different mutation in the genes.

Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency – Symptoms

It is well known the fact that any medical disorder (including Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency) can trigger a variety of symptoms. Therefore, some of this medical condition's most uncommon symptoms have not been listed) here. This is why we strongly recommend you to contact your personal health care provider whenever you develop any unusual, bothersome or unpleasant symptoms. Your personal physician will be able to tell you if you are suffering from Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency or from any other medical disorder.
Here is a list of the most common symptoms of the Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency:

• Growth retardation in children
• An immature face – in children
• Delayed apparition of the permanent dentition
• Chubby body build – in children
• Slowed growth – in children
• Short stature - in children, but also in adults
• Delayed puberty and tooth development, also in children
• Patients may observe an increase in the fat tissues, especially in the abdomen zone.
• Decrease in muscle mass
• Decreased cardiac rhythm
• Physical weakness
• Lethargy
• Decreased resistance in exercises
• Decreased strength
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Low energy
• Thin and also dry skin
• High levels of cholesterol
• Increased insulin production
• Bone loss
• Weak and brittle bones
• Decreased sweating
• A decrease of the libido
• Sleep problems
• Headaches
• Excessive thirst
• An increase in the urine volume
• Deficiencies of other hormones such as: thyrotropins, vasopressin, gonadotropins, adrenocorticotropic hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone hormone.
• Atherosclerosis

Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency – Treatment

In order for the doctors to establish the exact diagnose in the case of Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency, there are several test that patients must do. These tests include:

• Blood tests
• Radiographic studies with magnetic resonance imaging
• An evaluation of the pituitary gland.

After the doctor is sure of his diagnosis, he will prescribe to his patients a specific treatment, depending on the levels of the growth hormone.
Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency is usually treated with the replacement of the lacking hormone. The treatment consists in intravenously therapy (but the injections can also be made under the skin, in the fat layer) with somatotropin or with growth hormone, which can be found under different names, such as:

• Norditropin
• Saizen
• Humatrope
• Tev – tropine
• Nutropin
• Genotropin
• Omnitrope

The treatments in children leads to a fast grow in the first months, but the growth rate usually decreases during the years. The treatment also leads to increased appetite, energy and strength; the excessive fat will begin to diminish, too. The treatment is very expensive, as the injection must be done daily during all the period of the body’s growth, and for some patients with sever deficiencies lifelong. In the adult’s treatment for Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency, the treatment is based on the same medications, but there are three injections a week. The benefits of the treatment are the same as in children: increased energy, strength, increased appetite, but also, very important, an improvement in the bone density may be noticed. For the severe cases of Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency, the treatment consists on daily injections with hormones.

As the treatments of Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency are based on hormone therapy, have many disadvantages, beside the advantages. Here is a list of the possible risks of the hormonal treatment:

• Slipped capital femoral epiphysis, abbreviated SCFE – is the separation of the femur from the shaft.
• Benign intracranial hypertension – causes severe headaches, nausea and visual disturbance.
• Fluid retention
• Edema
• Pancreatitis – few cases have been reported
• Joint pain
• Carpal tunnel syndrome – is associated with concomitant tissue growth and fluid retention.
• Altered composition - is a common effect of the treatment, meaning that the growth hormone favours the bone and muscle built.
• Decreased insulin sensitivity
• In older adults, the increased level of IGF1 (meaning Insulin-like growth factor 1, which is polypeptide protein hormone) increases the risk of cancer development.
• The facial bone’s structure can be affected, when children follow a long-term treatment with growth hormone.

Here are other problems related to the growth hormone treatment. These problems have been reported in a few cases, so the chance for them to develop is very small:

• Diabetes type 2
• Leukemia – leukemia appears because the leukocytes have growth hormone receptors. Leukemia usually appears in children, especially in those who are under treatment for brain tumors.
• Colon cancer – usually appears in the cases of severe growth hormone deficiency.