What are the symptoms of adult onset growth hormone deficiency?
Growth hormone is a pituitary secreted hormone that is responsible for the growth that occurs as a child matures into a full sized adult. Children who present with a growth hormone deficiency will not attain a normal stature, and will also show additional health impairments.
Growth hormone remains an essential hormone for health even among adults who are no longer growing.
The pituitary is considered to be a “master gland” as it exerts a range of influence over other glands and hormones in the body. Growth hormone is one of the most important of the pituitary secreted hormones.
Growth hormone is responsible for the regulation and control of metabolic and cellular processes within the adult body, and people who show a growth hormone deficiency will present with a number of health difficulties.
Growth hormone can now be synthetically produced in a laboratory, and injected as a hormonal supplement. This synthetic growth hormone is an exact molecular replica to endogenous growth hormone, and once in the body, is indistinguishable from endogenous growth hormone.
Symptoms of a growth hormone deficiency
If you are growth hormone deficient, you will likely present with a number of symptoms. One of the most common symptoms of a growth hormone deficiency is poor bodily composition. Growth hormone is responsible for the regulation of appropriate levels of bodily fat and lean muscle mass. People with a growth hormone deficiency will present with abnormal fat deposits, especially around the mid section, and very low muscle mass, and poor muscle strength.
Growth hormone will also regulate cholesterol ratios. A normal level of endogenous growth hormone will help to maintain an appropriate level of good HDL cholesterol, to bad LDL cholesterol, and people with a growth hormone deficiency will often present with an abnormal ratio of heightened LDL cholesterol.
Growth hormone plays an important role in the regulation of optimal bone mineral densities, and bone cell regeneration. People with a growth hormone deficiency will present with weakened and brittle bones, and will often break or fracture their skeletal bones.
A deficiency in growth hormone will also result in very low energy levels, partially due to a reduction in cardiac functioning. The deficiency can also cause a reduction in cognitive functioning, and also a reduced sense of psychological well being, and a sense of social isolation.
The health deficits of a growth hormone deficiency are severe and varied, and a growth hormone deficient person will respond very well to the addition of synthetic growth hormone to their endogenous levels.
Speak with your doctor about your treatment options
If you suspect that you may be deficient in endogenous growth hormone, and you experience one or more of the symptoms listed above, you should speak with your doctor about possible treatment options. Your doctor will likely want to test you with a growth hormone sensitivity test, to ensure that you truly are growth hormone deficient. If you do show a reduced endogenous level of growth hormone, your doctor will likely start you on a therapeutic schedule of synthetic growth hormone.
There are some people who will not be able to take growth hormone, so you should be sure to inform your doctor of all pre existing medical conditions, as well as a complete medical history.
You should also inform your doctor of any and all other medication that you are taking.
There are some side effects associated with the treatment, but these side effects are usually minor, and the most commonly experienced side effect is related to fluid retention in the extremities. Side effects can be managed through dosage modification, and in most cases can be ultimately eliminated.
If you ever experience a severe reaction, or allergic reaction, you should seek immediate medical attention.
If you present with cancer during growth hormone therapy, you will need to stop the hormone therapy immediately.
There have been no long term studies done on the safety of growth hormone treatment in adults, but preliminary finding indicate that the drug is safe, and it is FDA approved for the treatment of adult growth deficient patients.
The administration of the drug will be through daily sub cutaneous self injections. The injections are not difficult to give, and you will receive training from your healthcare team on how to administer the hormone.
The storage and handling of the hormone is very important. The hormone is very sensitive, and can be easily destroyed. You must always store the medication between the recommended temperature ranges, and handle it gently; as even excessive agitation can degrade the medication.
Benefits of growth hormone therapy
You will likely start to experience the benefits of growth hormone treatment within a few weeks of initiating the therapy. Growth hormone users almost universally report a greatly decreased level of fat, and an increased level of lean muscle. You will look and feel better, and have much greater muscular strength through the use of growth hormone. You will not need to diet to lose this weight, but sensible healthy eating, and regular moderate exercise will accelerate the effects of the therapy.
You will also improve your mineral densities within the skeletal bones. A recent study indicates a nearly 15% percent improvement in spinal cord mineral density following low dose adult growth hormone therapy.
You will have a much increased energy level, and better cardiac functioning. Left ventricle mass index scores will increase, and you will have better heart functioning. Your cholesterol levels should also improve. Anecdotal evidence indicates that many people who initiate growth hormone therapy will also experience a cognitive and psychological benefit.
In summary
If you feel that you may require supplementary growth hormone, you should discuss your options with your doctor. Supplementing the reduced available growth hormone in growth hormone deficient patients will produce outstanding health and quality of life improvements.
Growth hormone therapy is relatively expensive, but the benefits to your health and well being will be profound, and you should not let the cost keep you from increasing you quality of life and health.
Growth hormone therapy is a very exciting health promotional therapy, and is always the recommended course of treatment for any patient with a growth hormone deficiency.