If you receive a diagnosis of adult human growth hormone deficiency, it means your pituitary gland is not producing enough growth hormone to support the body’s needs.
Every hormone has its own receptor cells that allow only that hormone to bind to it to initiate the unique actions associated with the hormone. In the case of growth hormone (somatotropin), the functions of the receptor cell vary depending on the location.
When the liver does not receive enough GH, it cannot produce enough insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a hormone that mediates many of the activities of growth hormone in the body. If the many GH receptors in the brain do not receive an adequate supply of growth hormone, learning, focus, mental processing, memory, and emotional stability may suffer.
HGH deficiency typically slows down cell regeneration, especially on the surface of the body’s many tissues, resulting in some of the following problems:
- Loss of muscle mass and bone density which can weaken the structural integrity of the body
- Reduced production of elastin and collagen necessary to maintain healthy skin, hair, and nails
- Shrinkage of the internal organs, adversely affecting their functions
Because HGH also supports the body’s immune system and metabolism, adults might find themselves succumbing to more frequent illnesses, experiencing slower recovery, and gaining weight. These are only some of the many ways human growth hormone deficiency influences the adult body.
Human growth hormone deficiency can weaken the body and decrease brain functions in adults.
Why Do Adults Get Human Growth Hormone Deficiency?
Human growth hormone deficiency can occur for many reasons. A rapid onset of problems may be due to a traumatic head injury or a tumor in the pituitary gland or hypothalamus. Surgical or radiation treatment to the brain can also cause a decrease in growth hormone secretion. If the blood supply to the brain is blocked for any reason, that can also impact hormonal release. Some adults who had low growth hormone levels as children may still suffer from reduced production into adulthood. They may require HGH therapy throughout their lives. In rare cases, certain genetic or medical conditions can lead to HGH deficiency.
What if none of those reasons exist?
That leads us to the most common and undetermined causes of adult human growth hormone deficiency. The body naturally decreases how much growth hormone it produces before most people reach their thirtieth birthday. After a decade or two of decline, some changes may become noticeable in functions associated with growth hormone.
Certain people are at risk for faster reductions in their HGH levels. Those individuals often fall into one or more of the categories below:
- Overweight
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Poor dietary habits
- Lack of exercise
- Little sleep
- High stress
- Smokers
- Heavy drinkers
Getting less than seven hours of sleep each night and lack of exercise significantly decrease growth hormone output by the pituitary gland.
For most adults in New York, the biggest cause of growth hormone deficiency is poor sleep and lack of exercise.
Diagnosing and Treating Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency in New York
Diagnosing and treating adult human growth hormone deficiency in New York begins with a consultation with a doctor who specializes in hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The HRT specialist understands the symptoms associated with hormonal decline and knows which blood tests are necessary to run for an accurate diagnosis.
Following the consultation, blood testing, physical examination, and completion of a medical history questionnaire will provide the doctor with the information necessary to diagnose HGH deficiency. For adults who receive this diagnosis, treatment with HGH therapy, or a peptide secretagogue such as sermorelin or ipamorelin may be prescribed. The doctor will determine the treatment protocol based on the body’s level of deficiency, symptoms, and need.
For more information about HGH deficiency, please contact our HGH New York Clinic for a free consultation by phone.