Growth Hormone Tests: What You Need to Know

Importance of Growth Hormone

Human growth hormone, also known as somatotropin, is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that plays a vital role in growth and development. It is crucial for children and adolescents as it helps to regulate bone and tissue growth, muscle mass, and fat distribution. In adults, growth hormone helps to maintain healthy bones, muscles, and organs, and it also plays a role in metabolism.

After-effects of Growth Hormone Deficiency

Deficiency or excess human growth hormone can significantly impact physical and psychological health. Growth hormone deficiency can lead to the following:

• Short stature
• A slowed-down growth process in children
• Issues related to body composition
• Defects in the metabolism
• Overall health issues in adults

After-effects of Growth Hormone Excess

Excess human growth hormone can cause acromegaly, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of the hands, feet, and face, and other health problems. Therefore, it is vital to maintain appropriate growth hormone levels for optimal health and well-being. It can be deduced via human growth hormone test  available today at your nearest diagnostic centers.

Understanding the Basics of Human Growth Hormone Test

The Human Growth Hormone (hGH) plays a crucial role in various physiological processes, including bone and muscle growth, fat metabolism, and sugar metabolism. hGH levels naturally decline with age, and low levels of hGH can lead to various health problems.

Symptoms of hGH deficiency in children

Low levels of human growth hormone can cause children to grow more slowly than expected and may result in short stature. Children with low levels of growth hormone may also have other symptoms, such as:

• Fatigue or lack of energy
• Weak muscles
• Decreased exercise tolerance
• Decreased bone density
• Decreased muscle mass
• Increased body fat
• Dry skin and hair
• Delayed puberty

Symptoms of hGH excess in children

In cases of high growth hormone levels in children (a medical condition called gigantism), you would experience the following symptoms:

• Acne
• Headaches
• Vision problems
• Excessive sweating
• Large hands and feet
• Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
• Increased appetite
• Insomnia
• Joint pain

When Should You Consider Undertaking the Growth Hormone Test?

As an adult, you should consider taking the hGH test for the following reasons:

• The huskiness in your voice
• Larger, more protruding facial features, including the lips, nose, and tongue
• Thicker than normal bones and enlarged hands and feet
• Excessive sweating at all times
• Pungent body odor
• Oily skin symptoms
• Irregular menstrual cycles in women
• Erectile dysfunction in men

You must also opt for a growth hormone test for yourself or your child for the following reasons:

• hGH deficiency can cause various symptoms, including decreased muscle mass, increased fat mass, and reduced energy levels. Growth hormone tests can help diagnose hGH deficiency and guide treatment decisions.

• If hGH deficiency gets diagnosed and treatment with hGH replacement therapy is started, growth hormone tests can be used to monitor treatment effectiveness and adjust the dose if needed.

• You might be interested in hGH therapy to improve your physical performance or appearance. Growth hormone tests can also help determine whether hGH therapy is likely to be beneficial in these cases.

• hGH is sometimes used illegally by athletes and bodybuilders to improve performance or appearance. Growth hormone tests are beneficial in detecting these instances as well.

While at it, you should also consider getting these tests ordered by an experienced healthcare provider and interpreted in the context of your overall medical history and clinical presentation.

Growth Hormone Stimulation Test: What Happens, Before, During & After the Test?

Before getting an hGH test done at your nearest diagnostic center, consider the following factors:

• Don’t allow your child to eat or drink anything after midnight. 

• No medication should be given to your child unless suggested by your doctor. 

• If your child is on steroids, inform your healthcare provider about this.

• In case your child has any allergies, this also should be informed to your healthcare provider.

• Let your child get ample rest before undertaking the hGH test.

How is the Growth Hormone Test conducted? 

Read along to find out the answer here:

• Doctors will apply a numbing cream to your child’s hand to ensure that the area has no sensation while inserting the IV.

• The IV will be utilized throughout the therapy to draw blood and conduct other tests.

• Drawing blood samples will continue for about 3-4 hours.

After the hGH test is conducted, offer your child food and water to recharge after a long period and consult with the healthcare expert. Since your child lost significant blood, you can also give them glucose mixed in water to avoid making them feel lazy or weak.

The same procedure applies to adults, where fasting the night before the hGH test is vital for accurate test results.

Interpreting the Growth Hormone Test  Results

Have the test results in hand but don’t know how to assess them? Before we discuss how to interpret your results, you must know the standard range of growth hormone levels (shown below):

You can check the hGH test results in the following ways.

• If there is no indication of a rise in the growth hormone levels during the hGH test, this indicates deficiency.
• Similarly, if GH levels don't decrease while a Growth Hormone Suppression test is conducted, it might indicate symptoms of gigantism in children.

This condition arises primarily when a tumor is present at the base of the pituitary gland. You can have further hGH tests conducted to figure out the intensity and size of the tumor. However, it's best to consult your healthcare professional for the best treatment plan for your overall well-being, even when you or your child has no tumor.

How Can HealthcareOnTime Help You with hGH Testing?

HealthcareonTime is a NABL/ISO-accredited diagnostic center with a PAN Indian presence and provides top-notch healthcare facilities administered by trained professionals. Its growth hormone test price is affordable compared to its counterparts, so check your hormone levels today!