Growth Hormone Health Feed

The body produces a number of chemicals called hormones which are essential for the regulation of various functions including growth and metabolism. These hormones are produced by endocrine glands which are located in various parts of the body. One such important gland is the pituitary gland which produces the important growth hormone. This is essential for regulating optimal growth during the growing years and for maintaining proper amounts of body fat, muscles, and bones in the later years of life.

Causes: Deficiency of the growth hormones can occur due to a number of causes, some of which are listed below. It can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life.
The congenital issue could be due to problem in the pituitary gland structure, leading to complete absence or reduced secretion of the hormone.
With age, there is a decrease in the amount of secretion. However, infections, injuries, brain tumors, surgery and radiation can also lead to altered amounts of secretion.

Symptoms: While growth hormone deficiency can occur at any age, symptoms differ depending on the age when the deficiency sets in.
In the early ages:

• Lower rate of growth for a given age
• Delayed developmental milestones
• Delayed onset of puberty
• Short stature/reduced height
• Younger looking compared to other children their age
• Fat deposition around the waist
• Delayed dental development

When the deficiency sets in during the later years, there is

• Low energy levels, constant tiredness
• Decreased strength
• Decreased exercise tolerance
• Decreased overall muscle mass
• Thin and dry skin
• Increased fat deposition and weight gain around the waist
• Changes in social behavior including alternate cycles of anxiety and depression
• Lack of motivation
• History of pituitary tumors
• High levels of fat and cholesterol

The diagnosis depends on the age of the person

• Blood tests are carried out to check the hormone levels in circulation
• In children, in addition to the hormone levels, x-rays to see the status of growth plates is very helpful.
• An insulin hypoglycemia test where insulin is given intravenously to see the levels of the growth hormone after 30 minutes.
• Total cholesterol levels, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and triglyceride levels can be used to supplement the above tests.
• CT scan and/or MRI of the brain may be needed if tumors are suspected.

Treatment: Once diagnosed, replacement therapy is given as shots a few times a week under the skin. This restores normal growth and helps in controlling the symptoms in adults too.
In cases of tumor, radiation or surgery may be required, but most cases are managed with hormone replacement.
Watch out for the symptoms if your child has delayed developmental milestones and early intervention can help restore growth and function to normal levels. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an endocrinologist.

Growth hormone or somatropin is responsible for cell growth as well as reproduction. But insufficient somatropin production by the pituitary gland may result in lack in height. It is mostly caused by a serious brain injury, any prevalent medical condition or might occur as a birth defect.

Types:

1. Congenital GHD - This form of GHD appears from at the time of birth itself.
2. Acquired GHD- GHD can be acquired during later life as a result of trauma, infection, tumor growth within the brain or radiation therapy.
3. Idiopathic GHD- Idiopathic GHD is the third, and comparatively worst kind of GHD since it has no treatment.

GHD is mostly permanent, but can also be transient. Read on to know how to detect whether you or your child is suffering from growth hormone deficiency (GHD).

Symptoms:
Childhood onset:

1. Restricted height- Compared to other children of your child's age, he/she may be of shorter height, which is a rather conclusive sign to detect somatropin deficiency.
2. Chubby and comparatively younger appearance- Your child may have a proportionate body, but if he/she is unnaturally chubby and has a baby-face compared to other children, he/she may be suffering from GHD.
3. Late puberty- Your child's puberty maybe later than usual or even not appear at all, depending upon the gravity of the GHD.
4. Hypoglycemia and exaggerated jaundice- Low blood sugar is amongst the most primary manifestations of GHD, along with extended duration of jaundice.
5. Micro-penis- Micro penis condition is one of the incident signs of GHD, which later escalates to growth deficit as the infant gets older.

Adult onset:

1. Fatigue- Adults with GHD may experience extreme tiredness throughout the day, with reduced muscle strength.
2. Osteoporosis- Osteoporosis, along with bodily deformities, is a common sign in adults with GHD.
3. Lipid abnormalities- A test of your lipid profile may reveal abnormalities in LDL cholesterol, insulin resistance, and impaired cardiac functions.

Tests to determine GHD:

1. Physical test- A chart is drawn to determine the proportion of height and weight with respect to your age to detect anomalies.
2. Hand X-ray- A hand X-ray can determine whether the age of bones are at par with your age.
3. MRI-MRI scan can determine the health of your brain and pituitary gland.
4. Test for other hormones- Growth Hormone may not be solely responsible for your health condition, so it is important to determine if other hormone levels are all normal.

Treatment:

1. Hormone supplements- Hormone supplements like corticosteroids (hydrocortisone or prednisone), Levothyroxine (levoxyl, synthroid, etc), and others work to replenish the deficiency of pituitary hormones.
2. Growth hormone injection- GH is injected beneath your skin, to cure GDH. This is a long-term treatment and requires constant monitoring.

The body produces a number of chemicals called hormones which are essential for the regulation of various functions including growth and metabolism. These hormones are produced by endocrine glands which are located in various parts of the body. One such important gland is the pituitary gland which produces the important growth hormone. This is essential for regulating optimal growth during the growing years and for maintaining proper amounts of body fat, muscles, and bones in the later years of life.

Causes: Deficiency of the growth hormones can occur due to a number of causes, some of which are listed below. It can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life.
The congenital issue could be due to problem in the pituitary gland structure, leading to complete absence or reduced secretion of the hormone.
With age, there is a decrease in the amount of secretion. However, infections, injuries, brain tumors, surgery and radiation can also lead to altered amounts of secretion.

Symptoms: While growth hormone deficiency can occur at any age, symptoms differ depending on the age when the deficiency sets in.
In the early ages:

• Lower rate of growth for a given age
• Delayed developmental milestones
• Delayed onset of puberty
• Short stature/reduced height
• Younger looking compared to other children their age
• Fat deposition around the waist
• Delayed dental development

When the deficiency sets in during the later years, there is

• Low energy levels, constant tiredness
• Decreased strength
• Decreased exercise tolerance
• Decreased overall muscle mass
• Thin and dry skin
• Increased fat deposition and weight gain around the waist
• Changes in social behavior including alternate cycles of anxiety and depression
• Lack of motivation
• History of pituitary tumors
• High levels of fat and cholesterol

The diagnosis depends on the age of the person

• Blood tests are carried out to check the hormone levels in circulation
• In children, in addition to the hormone levels, x-rays to see the status of growth plates is very helpful.
• An insulin hypoglycemia test where insulin is given intravenously to see the levels of the growth hormone after 30 minutes.
• Total cholesterol levels, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and triglyceride levels can be used to supplement the above tests.
• CT scan and/or MRI of the brain may be needed if tumors are suspected.

Treatment: Once diagnosed, replacement therapy is given as shots a few times a week under the skin. This restores normal growth and helps in controlling the symptoms in adults too.
In cases of tumor, radiation or surgery may be required, but most cases are managed with hormone replacement.
Watch out for the symptoms if your child has delayed developmental milestones and early intervention can help restore growth and function to normal levels.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The body produces a number of chemicals called hormones which are essential for the regulation of various functions including growth and metabolism. These hormones are produced by endocrine glands which are located in various parts of the body. One such important gland is the pituitary gland which produces the important growth hormone. This is essential for regulating optimal growth during the growing years and for maintaining proper amounts of body fat, muscles, and bones in the later years of life.

Causes

• Deficiency of the growth hormones can occur due to a number of causes, some of which are listed below. It can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life.
• The congenital issue could be due to problem in the pituitary gland structure, leading to complete absence or reduced secretion of the hormone.
• With age, there is a decrease in the amount of secretion. However, infections, injuries, brain tumors, surgery and radiation can also lead to altered amounts of secretion.

Symptoms

While growth hormone deficiency can occur at any age, symptoms differ depending on the age when the deficiency sets in , in the early stages:

• Lower rate of growth for a given age
• Delayed developmental milestones
• Delayed onset of puberty
• Short stature/reduced height
• Younger looking compared to other children their age
• Fat deposition around the waist
• Delayed dental development

When the deficiency sets in during the later years, one can notice the below:

• Low energy levels, constant tiredness
• Decreased strength
• Decreased exercise tolerance
• Decreased overall muscle mass
• Thin and dry skin
• Increased fat deposition and weight gain around the waist
• Changes in social behavior including alternate cycles of anxiety and depression
• Lack of motivation
• History of pituitary tumors
• High levels of fat and cholesterol

The diagnosis depends on the age of the person

• Blood tests are carried out to check the hormone levels in circulation
• In children, in addition to the hormone levels, x-rays to see the status of growth plates is very helpful.
• An insulin hypoglycemia test where insulin is given intravenously to see the levels of the growth hormone after 30 minutes.
• Total cholesterol levels, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and triglyceride levels can be used to supplement the above tests.
• CT scan and/or MRI of the brain may be needed if tumors are suspected.

Treatment

• Once diagnosed, replacement therapy is given as shots a few times a week under the skin. This restores normal growth and helps in controlling the symptoms in adults too.
• In cases of tumor, radiation or surgery may be required, but most cases are managed with hormone replacement.
• Watch out for the symptoms if your child has delayed developmental milestones and early intervention can help restore growth and function to normal levels.

Growth hormone or somatropin is responsible for cell growth as well as reproduction. But insufficient somatropin production by the pituitary gland may result in lack in height. It is mostly caused by a serious brain injury, any prevalent medical condition or might occur as a birth defect.

Types:

1. Congenital GHD - This form of GHD appears from at the time of birth itself.
2. Acquired GHD- GHD can be acquired during later life as a result of trauma, infection, tumor growth within the brain or radiation therapy.
3. Idiopathic GHD- Idiopathic GHD is the third, and comparatively worst kind of GHD since it has no treatment.

GHD is mostly permanent, but can also be transient. Read on to know how to detect whether you or your child is suffering from growth hormone deficiency(GHD).

Symptoms:
Childhood onset

1. Restricted height- Compared to other children of your child's age, he/she may be of shorter height, which is a rather conclusive sign to detect somatropin deficiency.
2. Chubby and comparatively younger appearance- Your child may have a proportionate body, but if he/she is unnaturally chubby and has a baby-face compared to other children, he/she may be suffering from GHD.
3. Late puberty- Your child's puberty maybe later than usual or even not appear at all, depending upon the gravity of the GHD.
4. Hypoglycemia and exaggerated jaundice- Low blood sugar is amongst the most primary manifestations of GHD, along with extended duration of jaundice.
5. Micro-penis- Micro penis condition is one of the incident signs of GHD, which later escalates to growth deficit as the infant gets older.

Adult onset:

1. Fatigue- Adults with GHD may experience extreme tiredness throughout the day, with reduced muscle strength.
2. Osteoporosis- Osteoporosis, along with bodily deformities, is a common sign in adults with GHD.
3. Lipid abnormalities- A test of your lipid profile may reveal abnormalities in LDL cholesterol, insulin resistance, and impaired cardiac functions.

Tests to determine GHD:

1. Physical test- A chart is drawn to determine the proportion of height and weight with respect to your age to detect anomalies.
2. Hand X-ray- A hand X-ray can determine whether the age of bones are at par with your age.
3. MRI-MRI scan can determine the health of your brain and pituitary gland.
4. Test for other hormones- Growth Hormone may not be solely responsible for your health condition, so it is important to determine if other hormone levels are all normal.

Treatment:

1. Hormone supplements- Hormone supplements like corticosteroids (hydrocortisone or prednisone), Levothyroxine (levoxyl, synthroid, etc), and others work to replenish the deficiency of pituitary hormones.
2. Growth hormone injection- GH is injected beneath your skin, to cure GDH. This is a long-term treatment and requires constant monitoring.

Allopathic medicine seems to be the de facto choice when it comes to treating emergency issues, and this fact does have merit backing it up. However, when a person has a reasonably inconsequential issue; homoeopathic medicine is the way to go!

Understanding Acromegaly!
Acromegaly is a situation in which there is an excess of the growth hormone produced. The good news is that is treatable, but while it is so, the diagnosis is not always correct, in many of the cases. This leads to a delay in the treatment and a long time for Acromegaly to have its effects, which progressively get worse. Most people who get Acromegaly notice their hands and feet getting bigger. This usually starts off by a person’s ring not fitting on as smoothly as it used to or his or her shoes feeling a bit tighter than they were earlier.

When a person is looking for ways to treat the condition of Acromegaly that he or she has the unenviable prospect of having to face, it can be said that while there are cures in various fields of medicine, homeopathy can be said to be the most comprehensive way to treat all issues a person may experience when it comes to his or her health. The reason for this is the fact that unlike many other forms of medication which look to either just suppress the issue which is at hand or to direct the problem to be solved, homoeopathy is one of the few philosophies which is comprehensive enough to evaluate the entire body. This allows for a person to get better overall, rather than fire-fighting one health problem and soon finding himself or herself back at the doctor’s office in order to address the next one.

Finding cure in Homeopathy!
It is true that the common medicines which have a root in homoeopathy are made use of to treat Acromegaly. One of these happens to be pitu-gl while another is carcinosin. While the names may not be all that easy to pronounce, it can be said that the efficacy that these medicines have made them all the more worthwhile. These medicines have come as an answer to all the uncertainties and questions related to the treatment of acromegaly.

While it is true that Acromegaly can be a sticky condition to have to deal with but with homoeopathy, the improvement is almost at hand!