Isabella Carter
Human growth hormone (HGH) is a natural hormone produced by the pituitary gland that promotes growth in children, especially during puberty. It is essential for normal growth, bone strength, and the distribution of body fat. A deficiency in HGH can cause delayed puberty, impaired hair growth, and, in adults, an increased risk of heart disease and weak bones. In some cases, HGH treatment can help children with short stature reach their full height. However, the decision to use HGH treatment depends on various factors, including the child's bone age, chronological age, and overall health. While HGH can help with constitutional bone delay, it is important to carefully evaluate each case and consult with medical professionals before starting any treatment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Human Growth Hormone (HGH) | Also known as somatotropin, it is a natural hormone produced by the pituitary gland that promotes growth, especially in bones and cartilage during puberty. |
| HGH Deficiency | In children, it results in poor growth, a younger-looking face, impaired hair and nail growth, delayed puberty, and low blood sugar levels. In adults, it causes reduced well-being, increased body fat, weak heart, muscles, and bones, and an increased risk of heart disease. |
| Treatment | Doctors prescribe synthetic HGH to help children with impaired hormone levels reach their full height. Treatment is more effective the earlier it starts, with greater results in younger children, taller children, and those with taller parents. |
| Bone Age Delay | Delayed bone age has been associated with a greater initial growth response to HGH treatment, but a smaller increase in predicted final height. Bone age delay is also observed in patients with constitutional delay of puberty. |
| Pediatric Acromegaly | A rare condition caused by elevated HGH levels before reaching full height, resulting in excessive bone growth and very tall height. It can lead to general weakness, delayed puberty, and headaches. |
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What You'll Learn
Human growth hormone deficiency in children
Human growth hormone (HGH) is a natural hormone produced by the pituitary gland. It is responsible for promoting growth in children, especially during puberty. HGH influences height and helps build bones, muscles, and other tissues. In children, HGH deficiency can result in poor growth, with affected individuals growing less than 1.4 inches in height per year after their third birthday. Other signs of HGH deficiency in children include a younger-looking face than expected for their age, impaired hair growth, and delayed puberty.
HGH deficiency in children can be present from birth and may be idiopathic, genetic, or due to injury to the pituitary gland during fetal development. Recombinant human growth hormone therapy can help children with HGH deficiency achieve their full height potential. This treatment has been shown to increase short-term growth rates and final height by approximately 5.5 cm. However, the response to treatment varies, and some children may show little to no height gain.
The effectiveness of HGH therapy is influenced by factors such as age, initial height, parental height, and response during the first year of treatment. Younger children tend to respond better to treatment, and taller children at the start of therapy tend to experience greater height increases. Additionally, children with greater bone age delay tend to achieve a greater final height with HGH treatment.
While HGH treatment can be beneficial, it is important to note that it should be prescribed by a medical professional after carefully assessing the child's natural HGH levels. Misuse or abuse of HGH can lead to adverse effects, such as the overgrowth of bones in the face, hands, and feet, a condition known as acromegaly.
In summary, HGH deficiency in children can impact their growth and development, and recombinant HGH therapy can be an effective treatment option. However, it is crucial to consult with healthcare professionals and carefully monitor the child's response to ensure safe and effective use of HGH therapy.
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Human growth hormone deficiency in adults
Human growth hormone (HGH) is a natural hormone produced by the pituitary gland. It is responsible for promoting growth in children, especially during puberty. HGH helps in the growth of bones and cartilage, and once an individual has finished growing, it helps maintain normal body structure and metabolism.
In adults, a deficiency in HGH can cause a range of issues. Firstly, adults with HGH deficiency may experience an increased risk of heart disease due to higher levels of low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides, which contribute to blocked blood vessels. Secondly, HGH deficiency can lead to weak muscles and bones, as the hormone is essential for maintaining bone density. Untreated, this can result in osteoporosis. Additionally, HGH-deficient adults may also experience an increased sense of fatigue and a reduction in their overall well-being.
The causes of adult HGH deficiency are typically related to the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls the pituitary gland. Damage to either of these areas can result in a decrease in HGH production. This damage may be caused by a tumour, surgery or radiation treatment for a tumour, or problems with the blood supply to the pituitary gland. In some cases, the deficiency may be present from birth, although it may not manifest until adulthood.
Treatment for adult HGH deficiency involves daily doses of synthetic growth hormones, which are injected into the patient's body. This treatment aims to improve the patient's quality of life and correct the clinical alterations caused by the deficiency. However, it is important to closely monitor the dosage as receiving too much HGH can lead to muscle or joint pain, swelling, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
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Human growth hormone treatment for short stature
Human growth hormone (HGH), also known as somatotropin, is a natural hormone produced by the pituitary gland. It promotes growth in nearly every tissue and organ in the body, especially during puberty. HGH triggers bone growth by signalling cells called osteoblasts to increase replication, allowing for an increase in bone size.
HGH treatment can be used to treat short stature in children. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating short stature caused by idiopathic short stature, growth hormone deficiency, Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Noonan syndrome, chronic renal disease, and small size at birth without subsequent catch-up growth. In some cases, HGH therapy may offer benefits beyond enhancing height, such as reducing body mass index in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome.
HGH treatment for short stature is a relatively new treatment option, having only been used for around 35 years. While it can help children with idiopathic short stature achieve an adult height closer to the normal range, there are potential downsides and unknown long-term effects. The treatment is also very expensive, costing tens of thousands of dollars per year, and requires daily injections. Furthermore, there is limited research on the psychological benefits and long-term safety of HGH treatment, with potential hazards such as an increased risk for diabetes.
The decision to use HGH treatment for short stature should consider the potential benefits and risks, especially when the cause of short stature is not HGH deficiency. Results vary among individuals, but HGH treatment tends to work best in children with growth hormone deficiency. Other factors that may influence the response to HGH treatment include age, height at the start of treatment, parental height, and bone age delay.
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Human growth hormone and bone mass
Human growth hormone (HGH), also known as somatotropin, is a natural hormone produced and released by the pituitary gland. It promotes growth in nearly every tissue and organ in the body, especially during puberty. HGH influences height and helps build bones and muscles. It acts on bone tissue primarily via insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Cells in bones, called osteoblasts, receive signals from HGH to increase replication and allow for growth in size.
HGH deficiency in children results in poor growth. The main sign is slow height growth after a child's third birthday, growing less than 1.4 inches annually. Children with HGH deficiency may also exhibit a younger-looking face than expected for their age, impaired hair growth, and delayed puberty. In adults, HGH deficiency can cause a reduced sense of well-being, increased body fat, weak heart, muscles, and bones, and an increased risk of heart disease.
HGH treatment can increase short-term growth rates and final height in children with idiopathic short stature (ISS), a condition where a child is short for unknown reasons and grows at a below-average rate. However, the response to HGH treatment varies, and some patients show little to no height gain. Younger age at the start of treatment, taller height at the start, taller parents, and a greater response to HGH in the first year are associated with better growth.
Delayed bone age in children with short stature and growth hormone sufficiency treated with HGH showed a greater initial growth response but a smaller increase in predicted final height. This suggests that those with more severe bone age delay may experience greater advancement in bone age during HGH treatment.
Excessive HGH can lead to pediatric acromegaly or gigantism, resulting in excessive growth of long bones and height. This condition can cause general weakness, delayed puberty, and headaches.
Overall, human growth hormone plays a crucial role in bone mass and growth, especially during childhood and puberty. HGH treatment can help children with HGH deficiency achieve their full height, but excessive HGH can lead to adverse effects.
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Human growth hormone and bone age delay
Human growth hormone (HGH) is a natural hormone produced by the pituitary gland that promotes growth in children, particularly during puberty. It is essential for normal growth, bone strength, and the distribution of body fat. HGH triggers growth in almost every tissue and organ in the body, especially in cartilage and bone. HGH stimulates cells in cartilage and bones to replicate, allowing for growth in size.
A lack of HGH in children can result in poor growth and short stature. This is known as growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetic mutations, structural issues in the baby, injury to the pituitary gland, or unknown reasons (idiopathic). Children with GHD grow less than about 1.4 inches in height per year after their third birthday and may also experience delayed puberty, impaired hair and nail growth, and delayed tooth development.
In some cases, children with short stature may have a condition called idiopathic short stature (ISS), where they consistently grow at a below-average rate for their demographic, but the cause is unknown. Treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (GH) has been shown to increase short-term growth rates and final height in children with ISS. Constitutional delay, defined as a biological age that is a year or more behind the child's chronological age, has been found to influence the response to GH treatment.
Delayed bone age has been associated with a greater response to GH treatment in terms of initial growth acceleration. However, greater bone age delay has also been linked to a smaller increase in predicted final height after a median of 3 years of treatment. This is likely due to greater advancement in bone age during the treatment period in those with more severe bone age delays.
In summary, human growth hormone plays a crucial role in bone growth and development, especially during childhood and puberty. Delayed bone age can impact the response to HGH treatment, with greater delays potentially resulting in accelerated initial growth but smaller increases in final height. However, it is important to note that the use of HGH should be carefully monitored by medical professionals to ensure safe and effective treatment.
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Frequently asked questions
Human growth hormone, also known as HGH or somatotropin, is a natural hormone produced by the pituitary gland that promotes growth in children. HGH triggers growth in nearly every tissue and organ in the body, especially cartilage and bone.
HGH affects bone growth by regulating bone remodelling, which is the balance between bone resorption and formation. HGH signals cells in bones called osteoblasts to increase replication, allowing for growth in size.
HGH treatment is recommended for children with short stature born small for their gestational age (SGA). It is also used to treat children with impaired hormone levels, growth hormone deficiency, Turner's syndrome, and kidney failure.
The effectiveness of HGH treatment depends on the degree of bone age delay. Studies have shown that greater bone age delay is associated with greater final height. However, a more delayed bone age is associated with a smaller increase in predicted final height after a median of 3 years of treatment.
Yes, there are potential risks and side effects associated with HGH treatment. In children, elevated HGH levels can lead to a condition called pediatric acromegaly or gigantism, resulting in excessive bone growth and height. Abuse of HGH can also cause an irreversible condition called acromegaly, which involves the overgrowth of bones in the face, hands, and feet.
