HGH deficiency in adults. What is it all about?
It was in the 1990s that HGH deficiency in adults started to gain attention in the medical community. For decades, the primary focus was children since this hormone plays such an integral role in their growth and development. In adults, this hormone is critical for multiple body functions, such as bone and muscle growth, body fluid composition and mental function. It is also believed that it is important to heart function.
HGH deficiency in adults can cause a wide range of symptoms. Before you start searching for the best HGH for sale, it is important to have a consultation with a doctor at first. Then you’ll get the right growth hormone deficiency treatment to beat your deficiency symptoms.
What Causes HGH Deficiency?
Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) occurs when the brain’s pituitary gland fails to produce adequate amounts of HGH. This hormone is created by the anterior pituitary gland. HGH is needed to cause the release of insulin-like growth factor 1, another hormone in the body that the liver mostly produces. In adults, these two hormones work together to contribute to physical and psychological well-being in adults.
In adults, hypothalamus or pituitary gland damage are the usual causes of HGH deficiency. The damage can result from several factors, such as surgery, a tumor or radiation affecting these two structures. In some cases, pituitary gland blood flow might be compromised, and this could result in issues with growth hormone output. In the US, an estimated 6,000 adults are diagnosed with HGH deficiency yearly. The underactive hypothalamic drive may also be a cause of this deficiency. When this condition is persistent it may result in insufficient growth hormone production.
What are the Symptoms of HGH Deficiency?
The following are possible HGH deficiency symptoms in adults:
• More body fat than normal, especially around your waist
• Reduced sexual interest and function
• Feeling isolated from others
• Less muscle
• A decrease in your bone density that can increase your risk of bone fractures
• Depression and anxiety
• Fatigue
• Being more sensitive to cold and heat
• Reduced stamina and strength
• Alterations to your blood cholesterol makeup
• You may not be able to exercise like you normally do without breaks
Without prompt treatment, these issues can worsen. For example, the reduction in bone density could result in bone fractures even with minor falls and injuries. You may notice weight gain that you are unable to control and the fatigue and reduction in stamina can start to make it hard to attend to basic daily chores, such as taking a shower or doing the dishes.
How to Test AGHD
If your doctor suspects a problem, they can perform a growth hormone deficiency test. They are unable to do a general blood test because it will always show low levels due to how fast the body absorbs this hormone. Instead, they will stimulate your pituitary gland to produce HGH and check its response to the stimulation. For this test, you will typically need to fast overnight. It is performed in an outpatient setting. On average, it takes about two to three hours to complete the testing to ensure accuracy.
How to Treat Growth Hormone Deficiency?
After your doctor confirms that your levels are low, they will start growth hormone deficiency treatment. This typically involves daily doses of HGH. To administer growth hormones, it must be done via injection into the fatty tissue in your body, such as the lower abdomen. Your doctor will help you to buy HGH the precise dose that you require that you will administer at home.
Approximately every four to eight weeks, you will need to return to your doctor to determine if you need more or less HGH. For as long as you are undergoing treatment, you will need to be monitored to determine if there’s needs to be changed to your dosage. If you are not getting enough of the hormone, you can continue to experience deficiency symptoms. Should the dose be too high, your HGH levels can get too high, resulting in other potential health issues.
The Symptoms of Excessive HGH in the body include:
• Joint or muscle pain
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Swelling
If your HGH deficiency is the result of a tumor, your doctor will likely recommend imaging to keep an eye on the tumor. This typically involves yearly MRIs. Since this deficiency can cause problems with your bone density and cholesterol, part of treatment is monitoring these and providing additional treatments as needed. As your HGH levels normalize, so should your bone density and cholesterol. However, in the beginning, if both are very abnormal, your doctor might recommend diet changes and medicines for your cholesterol and medicines to improve your bone density levels.
If you are diabetic and using insulin, your condition will need to be more closely monitored when you are getting HGH injections. This is because these injections can alter how your body uses insulin. You might need to check your blood sugar more frequently at home and keep a log to see if changes need to be made to your insulin dose. If you suspect that you have an HGH deficiency, it is important to get a growth hormone deficiency test from your doctor as soon as possible. Once it is determined that you are deficient, there are treatments that can help to alleviate your HGH deficiency symptoms and restore your health.
