Growth hormone

A growth hormone is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth and reproduction and regeneration of cells in animals, including humans.

The single-chain polypeptide is a 191-amino acid. It is synthesized, stored and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of the anterior pituitary gland.

The naturally occurring growth hormone produced by animals is somatotropin, which is the growth hormone produced by recombinant DNA technology. Somatropin is abbreviated as HGH, or human growth hormone, when used in humans.

Treatment

Somatropin requires a prescription and is used to treat growth disorders in children and hormone deficiency in adults. In recent years, clinicians in the United States have prescribed growth hormone to older patients who are deficient in growth hormone. This treatment is used to increase vitality. This usage, however, has not been tested in clinical trials, and some researchers and clinicians have argued that HGH is too complex and not understood well enough to be used in a safe fashion.

However, growth hormone is approved by the FDA to treat growth hormone deficiencies in some adults and children. Growth hormone is also approved by the FDA for treatment of conditions that lead to short stature, including Turner’s syndrome, chronic renal failure, Prader-Willi syndrome, intrauterine growth retardation and severe idiopathic short stature.

Competitive athletes have abused HGH as an anabolic agent for decades. Several sports-related organizations have banned the substance.

Growth hormone has been used in raising livestock. However, only one use of this kind is FDA approved, and that is the form of growth hormone called bovine somatotropin, which can be used to increase milk production in dairy cows.

Adverse effects of growth hormone include injection site reactions, joint swelling, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and an increased risk for diabetes. Growth hormone may also be a risk factor for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Growth hormone in children

Growth hormone deficiency in children may be present at birth, although its cause is still largely unknown.

In some cases, it may be the result of a medical condition or brain injury affecting the pituitary gland, which produces growth hormone.

In addition, children with a cleft lip or palate, or other physical conditions of the face and skull, could have decreased growth hormone levels.

Additional information may be found at these websites:

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/collection/gene_expression

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003706.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/metabolism/WT00006/

http://www.nature.com/jcbfm/index.html

http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/

http://www.hormone.org/Public/endocrinologist.cfm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002257.htm