The
Impact of Human Growth Hormone on Adolescent Patients with HGH
Deficiency
Human
Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy was first utilized for the
treatment of children with Idiopathic Short Stature and HGH
Deficiency. HGH Injections are a tried and true method to help
children with HGH Deficiency live a more normal life.
How
does HGH Make You Grow?
Human Growth Hormone is a metabolic hormone which encourages cell
division and replication. Healthy individuals have the highest
concentration of Human Growth Hormone in their bodies when they are
young. HGH causes us to grow bigger and longer, and our bodies make
the most of it during puberty.
HGH influences growth because of the way that our bones are
structured when we are young. During childhood, our bones are
slightly more flexible, and they have not completely hardened. At the
center of all of our bones lie structures known as epiphyseal plates.
We grow taller because our bones generate more cells at the
epiphyseal plates which harden and slowly cause our bones to get
longer.
At the end of puberty, these epiphyseal plates close, and no amount
of Human Growth Hormone will cause the bones to become longer. This
is why pediatric treatment of HGH Deficiency is incredibly important.
Once our bodies reach the end of puberty, there is no medical
treatment that can recreate that era of physiological development.
Causes
of Pediatric Human Growth Hormone Deficiency
HGH Deficiency is one of the many causes of a condition known as
Short Stature. Short Stature refers to any individual that is
significantly under the normal height for a child or adult of the
same gender and age. There are a lot of different reasons why this
can happen, and sometimes even doctors are unsure of the ultimate
cause. When there is no known medical reason for the condition, it is
known as Idiopathic Short Stature.
Often, the reason why a child is not growing as quickly as his or her
peers is because the child is producing an insufficient amount of
Human Growth Hormone. HGH is secreted by organs known as somatotrophs
in the pituitary gland, which is positioned at the very base of the
brain. The hypothalamus sends signals for HGH via a precursor hormone
known as GH-RH, and the pituitary carries out the order.
Sometimes, children suffer from Human Growth Hormone Deficiency as a
result of congenital conditions, but it can also be caused during
development by traumatic injuries as well as tumors. Some children
with congenital HGH Deficiency suffer from the disorder because their
pituitary glands did not develop fully. In the case of this, the
hormonal deficiency is often paired with other developmental
abnormalities, including cleft palate, cleft lip, and other facial
deformities.
Often, there is no clear underlying reason why HGH Levels are
abnormally low. If HGH Deficiency is not the result of an undeveloped
pituitary, the condition is generally recognized when the parents or
their physician notice that the child is growing abnormally slowly.
Pediatricians monitor normal growth by measuring the child with every
visit and comparing their height to a chart which organizes the
height of all children into a growth-curve, where they can easily
explain to the parent how their child is growing compared to the
average child.
Brain
Tumors and Childhood HGH Deficiency
Tumors on and around the pituitary can contribute to Human Growth
Hormone Deficiency. Tumors around the pituitary can put pressure on
the Somatotrophs that generate the hormone, preventing them from
functioning normally, as can tumors on other parts of the pituitary
not associated with Human Growth Hormone. Tumors of the Somatotrophs
themselves cause an excess of Human Growth Hormone to be produced,
leading to gigantism in some cases if left untreated.
Cancer
Treatment and Childhood HGH Deficiency
If a child is treated for any cancer of the head or brain, there is a
chance that radiation will have a negative impact upon the pituitary
gland. This can render the organ unable to produce Human Growth
Hormone, or can simply limit the organ's functional capacity.
Brain
Trauma and Childhood HGH Deficiency
Any injury which negatively impacts the healthy function of the
pituitary gland or hypothalamus can alter the body's ability to
produce sufficient levels of Human Growth Hormone.
Chronic
Renal Insufficiency
This condition is caused by any disorder which slowly maligns the
function of the kidneys. The kidneys play a role in the proper
function and activity of Human Growth Hormone in the human body, and
can lead to symptoms of HGH Deficiency as a result.
Genetic
Conditions which Cause HGH Deficiency
Isolated
HGH Deficiency
Sometimes, Human Growth Hormone Deficiency is caused by a simple
genetic mix-up which renders the body unable to produce HGH, but has
no other impacts on the health and the development of the fetus.
There are three gene mutations which cause this form of deficiency:
The GH1 Gene carries the blueprint for the body to produce Human
Growth Hormone.
The GHRHR gene carries the blueprints for the brain to make
receptors which help the precursor GH-RH molecule attach to
pituitary receptors which send the message to the pituitary to make
HGH.
A third cause is a malformation of the BTK gene, which is
responsible for the production of immune cells known as B-Cells.
Researchers are unsure why the BTK abnormality contributes to HGH
Deficiency.
SHOX
Deficiency
SHOX Deficiency is caused by a genetic mutation which renders the
SHOX Gene unable to function. This gene is necessary for a child to
experience normal growth, but there are usually no other significant
symptoms of the deficiency. HGH Hormone Replacement Therapy
counteracts this disorder completely, allowing the child to grow
normally.
Turner
Syndrome
This condition only impacts females. Turner Syndrome belongs to a
class of genetic abnormalities ranging from partial to total deletion
of the second X Chromosome. The physical symptoms include short
stature, webbed neck, low ears, and broad chest. Other symptoms
include sexual dysfunction, vision abnormalities and diabetes as well
as weak memory and weak mathematic and spacial reasoning. HGH
Injections can alleviate the symptoms of this disorder associated
with a lack of circulating Human Growth Hormone.
Prader-Willi
Syndrome
This condition is caused by a mutation in which seven genes on
Chromosome 15 are deleted, including the instructions needed to make
Human Growth Hormone. This condition leads to obesity, reduced muscle
tone, powerful and constant hunger, sexual immaturity, and mental
disability. Human Growth Hormone Shots can alleviate issues related
to this condition which are caused by HGH Deficiency.
How
does HGH Hormone Replacement Therapy Work?
Human
Growth Hormone HRT is a very simple treatment in concept. The best
way to restore normal HGH Balance in children with Human Growth
Hormone Deficiency is to directly inject Bio-Identical HGH into the
body that for whatever reason, the child's body is unable to produce,
or unable to produce sufficiently.
Early
forms of HGH Hormone Replacement used real Human Growth Hormone drawn
from organ donors, but the risks of this form of collection
outweighed the benefits, stirring researchers and scientists to
figure out a way to create the vital hormone in a laboratory
environment.
Today, all
HGH Injections in the United States are created using a technique
known as Recombinant-DNA Technology. This means that researchers
found a way to encourage other organisms to produce Human Growth
Hormone by slightly altering their DNA so that they produce
biologically pure HGH which can be collected for medical treatment.
Researchers actually found a way to make a particular, harmless
strand of E. coli generate the Human Growth Hormone molecule as a
result of its natural organic processes.
How is
Human Growth Hormone Delivered?
Bio-Identical HGH is administered to the child through a technique
known as Subcutaneous Injection. Luckily, Subcutaneous injections are
generally considered to be the most painless form of injection.
Rather than Intravenous Injections which pierce into sensitive veins
and Intramuscular Injections which plunge directly into meaty muscle
tissue, Subcutaneous Injections are delivered just below the top
layers of the skin using the same form of needle which is used for
Insulin Injections.
All children have their own particular issues with needles, but the
vast majority of children can handle the minor pain of an HGH
Injection with ease, especially when they can easily recognize that
HGH will help them grow taller like their friends.
HGH
Hormone Injections work quickly for children with Growth Hormone
Deficiency. The child will begin growing more quickly just in a
manner of months.
Most
people associate Human Growth Hormone Deficiency simply with an
inability to grow taller, but there are a number of medical issues
that are related to the condition.
Other
Benefits of HGH for Children
Human
Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy produces a number of physical as
well as psychological benefits. HGH plays a major role in metabolism,
so your child will generally experience increased energy levels which
help them play and act like other children. HGH Hormone Replacement
Therapy also has a direct impact upon the strength of the child,
because Human Growth Hormone not only improves the length of the body
but also the size of the organs of the body, including the muscles.
HGH Injections also directly reduce body fat in pediatric patients,
and can reverse the obesity associated with Pediatric HGH Deficiency.
Side-Effects
of HGH for Children
Because Pediatric HGH Injections are intended to reverse an abnormal
absence of Human Growth Hormone in the child's body, there are very
few side-effects associated with this form of treatment, and
Pediatric HGH Replacement Patients experience the lowest incidence of
side-effects of any group that takes this form of treatment.
If side-effects do occur, they are generally itching or rashing at
the injection site, and are associated with the delivery of the
medication, not the actions of the Human Growth Hormone once inside
the human body. Irritation at the injection site can be alleviated by
changing injection sites more frequently or adjusting the dose
slightly to prevent the irritation.
Treatment
throughout the Lifespan
Many patients that take Bio-Identical Human Growth Hormone as
children choose to continue to take the treatments once they reach
adulthood. Patients that take Human Growth Hormone as children
generally have under-functioning pituitary glands or other medical
conditions which necessitate the use of HGH into adulthood. Although
many people think that HGH is simply associated with the process of
growth and puberty, the hormone actually plays a role in the health
of an individual throughout the lifespan.
After puberty is over and the epiphyseal plates close, HGH still
plays a crucial role in normal adult health. HGH Deficiency prevents
the muscles from becoming sufficiently strong, and HGH Deficiency is
highly correlated with obesity. Human Growth Hormone is also an
important part of heart health and cholesterol balance, so adults
that stop HGH Hormone Replacement Treatment after childhood are at an
elevated risk for hypoglycemia, heart attack, and cardiovascular
disease later in life because they are naturally predisposed to
elevated levels of both triglycerides and LDL Cholesterol. This form
of HGH Deficiency also significantly weakens the bones, leading to a
greatly increased risk of breaks and fractures associated with
Osteoporosis and Osteopenia.
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