| HGH Deficiency |
|
The Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is a signaling protein that sends commands to various tissues especially bone and muscle tissues, to grow. Obviously the deficiency of this hormone does hamper growth in these tissues. Low levels of growth hormone in childhood lead to dwarfism or pediatric growth hormone deficiency (GHD). In adults growth hormone deficiency results in lethargy, loss of sexual function and decreased muscle and bone density. Children who have low levels of HGH are short-statured (hence the analogy dwarfism). A child aged 10-11 years may have the physical likeness of a child aged 50-6 years. While growth of the body is uniform, it is the rate of growth that is affected in such children. Conventionally a child having hypopituitary dwarfism is unable to pass through puberty and cannot secrete adequate levels sex hormones required to achieve sexual maturity. In one type of dwarfism, there are just low growth hormone levels. Here the person is able to perform sexual function and may sometimes reproduce as well. A second type of dwarfism as seen in African pygmy is an unusual condition. Here the affected person has adequate levels of growth hormone secretion, but there is a hereditary glitch which prevents the body from secreting somatomedin C, which is a metabolite of HGH and is essential to trigger growth. Children with HGH deficiency may also be overweight for their height and may have to deal with low blood sugar depending on the exact level of the hormone being secreted. In adults human growth hormone deficiency is rarely an isolated event. This is because along with HGH many other hormones like the thyroid hormones and the sex hormones are under secreted. In such condition, adults with HGH deficiency have a lethargic outlook, are obese and have lost sexual functions. Additionally such people may be unstable emotionally, easily depressed and socially isolated. HGH deficiency in both children and adults is diagnosed through special blood tests that assess the level of growth hormone in the blood. Because the level of growth hormone changes quite rapidly during one's lifetime, there is no set value. However the following range may give one a better idea of ideal HGH levels in the blood: Newborns - 10–40 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) or 10-40 micrograms per liter (µg/L) Children - 0–10 ng/mL or 0–10 µg/L Men - less than 5ng/mL or less than 5 µg/L Women - less than 10 ng/mL or less than 10 µg/L |