How Does Growth Hormone Testing Work?
Written by Dr. Di Santo, Published on October 25th, 2018
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Hormone Replacement Therapy
HGH Replacement
Human
Growth Hormone Deficiency Testing
How
does HGH Testing work?
Although
Human Growth Hormone Levels are generally not tested on a regular
basis, if you feel that you are suffering from the effects of Human
Growth Hormone Deficiency as you grow older, you should talk to your
physician about having your ability to produce HGH Effectively
tested.
There are
a few very valuable tests that can effectively diagnose HGH
Deficiency. HGH Testing is utilized in order to evaluate Growth
Hormone Production, providing your physician with all of the data
that he or she needs in order to provide a proper diagnosis. These
tests also have the capability of pinpointing exactly what
physiological processes are going haywire which are leading to your
issues with HGH Production. These tests can also be used to diagnose
disorders resulting from an overactive pituitary, such as gigantism
or acromegaly.
IGF-1
Testing Useful for HGH Deficiency Diagnosis
In
addition to Human Growth Hormone Testing, doctors often also provide
IGF-1 Testing in order to provide a more enhanced scope of your
endocrine function. Insulin-like Growth Factor One is produced by the
body as a direct result of HGH Stimulation, but is present in the
body for a longer period of time, while also maintaining a more
stable baseline, which makes the diagnosis of HGH Deficiency or
Excessive HGH Production easier to uncover.
HGH
Stimulation Tests and HGH Suppression Tests
In order
to assess a patient's Pituitary Capacity to Release Human Growth
Hormone, there are Growth Hormone Stimulation Tests and Growth
Hormone Suppression Tests. Both of these forms of testing are
incredibly effective at evaluating both the response of the pituitary
and your body's current capacity to release Human Growth Hormone.
HGH
Stim Test Protocol
The
primary reason HGH Stimulation Tests are administered is in order to
assist in the diagnosis of Hypopituitarism and Growth Hormone
Deficiency. In order to effectively perform an HGH Stim Test, a
patient must have his or her blood drawn after a period of ten to
twelve hours of fast. After this fasting period, the patient is
injected with a solution of either arginine or insulin by a qualified
medical professional. The patient undergoes a series of blood tests
administered over specific intervals of time.
Each blood
sample will be tested for Blood-Serum Growth Hormone, in order to
assess whether the pituitary effectively increases production in
response to these known Human Growth Hormone Stimulators. If this
testing does not produce an increase in HGH Secretion, then the
condition is a direct issue relating to pituitary function.
If Human
Growth Hormone Release increases as a result of stimulation testing,
then the issue is most likely related to the function of the
Hypothalamus and the release of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone
(GH-RH). In addition to insulin and arginine, glucagon and clonidine
can be used in order to accurately assess pituitary function.
HGH
Suppression Test Protocol
Human
Growth Hormone Suppression Testing can be used to test the opposite
condition, Excess Release of Human Growth Hormone. This sort of
evaluation can be used in combination with other forms of blood
testing as well as MRIs and other types of imaging in order to
pinpoint and ID tumors of the pituitary gland. In HGH Suppression
Testing, blood samples are taken after a period of fasting which
lasts between ten and twelve hours.
With an
empty stomach, the patient then drinks a solution of glucose and
water, which in normal patients, directly stimulates the suppression
of Growth Hormone Production. After the Glucose solution has been
given time to settle, Growth Hormone Levels are tested periodically
using blood samples in order to assess any changes in pituitary
function.
In a
normal patient, Human Growth Hormone Levels will drop in direct
correlation with increased levels of glucose in the blood stream.
Throughout the course of this Suppression Evaluation, Blood-Sugar
Levels are also monitored closely in order to evaluate the patient
for Diabetes or other disorders that result from an incapacity to
properly control Glucose and Insulin Levels.
Other
Forms of Hormone Evaluation
There are
also a number of other tests which provide an analysis of Growth
Hormone Production and Pituitary Sufficiency. Among these tests are
Luteinizing Hormone Testing, Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Testing,
Cortisol Evaluation, as well as Thyroid Stimulating Hormone and T4
Testing. In male patients, Testosterone Levels are also evaluated.
These
tests are generally administered before Growth Hormone Evaluation in
order to ensure that there aren't other issues which can be resolved
without turning to direct HGH Stimulators or Suppressors. In patients
that have Hypothyroidism, for example, thyroid deficiency must be
treated before the patient can be properly evaluated for Growth
Hormone Deficiency, and in a large proportion of patients, Thyroid
Treatment resolves underlying HGH Issues as well.
Exercise
HGH Stimulation
Many
physicians also utilize physical exercise as a means to test Human
Growth Hormone Deficiency. Physical activity directly stimulates
Growth Hormone Production, and many medical professionals will draw
blood samples both before and after strenuous physical activity in
order to see if the patient increases their Growth Hormone Production
as a result of physical activity.
When
is Human Growth Hormone Testing Needed?
HGH Stim
Testing is generally recommended when children or adults show signs
of Human Growth Hormone Deficiency.
Childhood
HGH Deficiency
In
children, Growth Hormone Testing is offered for young patients that
are not growing at the same rate as their peers. HGH Hormone
Replacement Therapy is only offered if T4 Testing shows that the
thyroid is functioning properly, because Thyroid Deficiency can
result in many symptoms that mirror HGH Deficiency. HGH Stimulation
should also be used for children that have bones which are not
growing at a proper pace, as evaluated using X-ray Imaging.
Adult
HGH Deficiency
In adults,
Pituitary Stimulation Testing is provided for men and women that
display Hypopituitarism or Growth Hormone Deficiency. Symptoms of HGH
Deficiency include:
Before HGH
Stim Testing is offered, your physician will generally execute other
forms of testing in order to make sure that your medical condition is
likely the result of Low Levels of Human Growth Hormone, rather than
other issues that could be creating similar symptoms. In children,
Growth Hormone Deficiency is relatively rare.
In men and
women over the age of thirty, Adult-Onset HGH Deficiency occurs at a
slow and steady rate as a result of the aging process. Sudden and
severe Growth Hormone Deficiency very seldom occurs in adults,
although patients with Childhood HGH Deficiency often carry that
deficiency into adulthood.
Gigantism/Acromegaly
Testing
Human
Growth Hormone Suppression Evaluation is provided when young patients
show symptoms of gigantism, or when adult patients display symptoms
of acromegaly. In both children and adults, HGH Suppression Testing
is often ordered if there is reason to believe that the patient may
have a tumor on or around the pituitary gland which is affecting the
gland's proper function.
This form
of testing may also be used in addition to monitoring IGF-1 in order
to gauge the effectiveness of treatments which slow down the release
of Human Growth Hormone.
What
do the Results of Human Growth Hormone Testing Mean?
It is
important to be cautious when evaluating the results of Growth
Hormone Testing. Because Growth Hormone is released in pulses by the
pituitary gland, GH Levels tested at random are of limited use. This
is because as a result of normal Pituitary Variation, Human Growth
Hormone levels can appear too high or two low in a single instant,
when Growth Hormone Levels are sufficiently average when monitored
across the entire day.
HGH Levels
will naturally be at their highest during the morning hours, and
stress and physical activity will cause Growth Hormone Release to
increase. It is far more effective to monitor IGF-1 levels to get an
accurate picture of overall Growth Hormone Secretion, than to undergo
testing which directly stimulates the pituitary.
Growth
Hormone Stimulation Evaluation
If HGH
Production is not properly increased as a result of Pituitary
Stimulation Testing, and the patient displays symptoms of Growth
Hormone Deficiency in addition to displaying abnormally low levels of
IGF-1, then it is very likely that Human Growth Hormone Replacement
Therapy can be incredibly beneficial to the patient.
If the
patient has low levels of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, then the
patient should be treated for Thyroid Insufficiency before seeking
treatment for Low Levels of HGH. Growth Hormone Deficiency can also
sometimes be the result of overall Hypopituitarism, which affects
many hormones released by the entire pituitary.
Growth
Hormone Suppression Evaluation
If HGH
does not properly decline as a result of Pituitary Suppression
Testing, and the patient shows symptoms of acromegaly or gigantism in
addition to displaying abnormally high levels of IGF-1, the patient
is secreting too much Human Growth Hormone.
If MRI, CT
Scan, or X-Ray shows a malformation on the pituitary, then the
patient is experiencing increased HGH release as a direct result of
that tumor. Tumors of this origin are benign in the majority of
cases.
What
else should I know about HGH Testing?
Tumors on
or around the pituitary are the most common reason that the pituitary
releases excessive Human Growth Hormone. Sometimes, especially when
the tumor is located around the pituitary, tumors can result in
decreased pituitary function.
Tumors of
the pituitary can also affect the production of other Pituitary
Hormones such as Prolactin, ACTH, as well as other hormones. If
tumors reach a certain size, they can completely shut down pituitary
function, as well as damage the tissue of the pituitary and
surrounding areas of the brain.
Chemicals,
Medications, and Hormones that Interfere with HGH Testing
The
following factors can inhibit the effectiveness of Growth Hormone
Testing:
These
drugs can artificially raise Growth Hormone Levels:
Glucagon
Estrogen
Dopamine
Arginine
Amphetamines
Insulin
Histamine
Nicotinic
Acid
M-Dopa
L-Dopa
The
following drugs and imaging techniques can decrease Growth Hormone
Production:
In most
circumstance, HGH Levels can be adjusted once they are properly
diagnosed. Bio-Identical Human Growth Hormone is a potent and useful
treatment which has the capacity to resolve issues relating to both
Childhood and Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency.
HGH
Overdose and Deficiency Treatment
For
patients that are releasing too much Human Growth Hormone, a
combination of radiation, Medication, and/or Surgery can be used to
limit the production of Human Growth Hormone by the Somatotrophs of
the Pituitary.
Long
Term Risks of HGH Imbalance
It is
important to treat Excess Growth Hormone Production Quickly in order
to improve the odds of effective treatment. Gigantism is permanent if
not treated swiftly, and Acromegaly is also permanent if bone tissue
calcifies.
In young
patients with HGH Deficiency, if the disorder is not treated
promptly, then the patient will be shorter than normal in adulthood.
The window for Childhood HGH for Idiopathic Short Stature closes when
the epiphyseal plates close.
Excess
Growth Hormone Secretion can lead to a number of long-term medical
issues. Acromegaly increases the risk of medical impairments ranging
from vision problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, to polyps on the
colon.
Some
tumors can also cause permanent medical conditions as well. If a
tumor causes pituitary damage, then the patient will likely need
multiple forms of Hormone Replacement Therapy in order to treat the
malfunction. There are also a number of issues that can result
directly from Acromegaly and Gigantism resulting from Excess HGH
Secretion, including weakened bones, arthritis, and Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome.
Rarely, a
patient may have problems which seem related to Growth Hormone
Deficiency because of a hereditary resistance to Growth Hormone. In
the majority of these cases, symptoms of HGH Deficiency are really
the result of IGF-1 Deficiency, with no impairment to the production
of Human Growth Hormone or GH-RH.
If you
feel that you or a loved one may be suffering from any symptoms
arising from pituitary malfunction, we encourage you to talk to a
physician as soon as possible in order to assess treatment options.
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