The human body relies on 50 hormones to function optimally, and each is secreted into the bloodstream by endocrine glands. To fully appreciate the role of hormones in the human body, it helps to know more about what they are and, more importantly, what they do. According to the Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center based in Cleveland, Ohio, hormones are chemical messengers that coordinate a variety of bodily functions by sending signals through the blood to organs, skin, muscles, and other tissues.
Unfortunately, many things can trigger a hormonal imbalance. Such an imbalance can interfere with numerous bodily functions and, as a result, take a tremendous toll on someone’s physical and mental health. One hormonal imbalance commonly diagnosed in the U.S. each year is human growth hormone (HGH) deficiency. In a study published by Oregon Health & Science University (OSHU), a public research university focusing primarily on health sciences, researchers revealed that some 50,000 adults in the U.S. have low HGH or a full-on HGH deficiency. As a result of having too little HGH in their blood, many are struggling with various deficiency-related symptoms.
How Does a Human Growth Hormone Deficiency Affect the Body?
Before discussing how having too few growth hormone levels in one’s blood affects the body, let’s first discuss what constitutes healthy growth hormone levels. For that, we need only look at data published by Mount Sinai, one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the U.S. It revealed that a healthy and normal HGH range for adult men and women is between 0.05 to 3 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) and 0.05 to 8 ng/mL, respectively.
Aging is the primary cause of growth hormone deficiency in men and women. As men and women age, the pituitary gland, one of the many hormone-secreting glands in the endocrine system, gradually secretes fewer human growth hormones into the bloodstream. Studies show that human growth hormone levels in the male and female body increase during childhood and peak during puberty. After age 30, growth hormone secretions drop by as much as 15% every ten years. That annual decline is why many men and women develop a growth hormone deficiency by the time they are in their 40s or early 50s. In addition to aging, the following can also put men and women at a heightened risk of developing adult-onset human growth hormone deficiency:
- Genetics
- Graves’ disease
- Hashimoto’s disease
- Head injuries
- Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism
- Pituitary adenomas
- Taking certain medications, such as corticosteroids, antipsychotics, and antiemetics
Whether it’s a byproduct of aging, genetics, the development of disease, or taking certain medications, a human growth hormone deficiency can trigger the following symptoms, according to a study published by the Pituitary Foundation:
- Anxiety and depression
- Changes in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) blood cholesterol concentrations
- Chronic fatigue
- Decreased lean body mass
- Decreased strength and stamina
- Feelings of social isolation
- Increased adipose tissue, especially around the waist
- Increased sensitivity to cold or heat
- Reduced bone density
How Lifestyle Changes and Supplementation Can Benefit Individuals Who Are Growth Hormone Deficient
For some people, making dietary changes can help boost low growth hormone levels in their blood. These changes include reducing sugar and eating more fish, chicken, eggs, soybeans, beef, and other ornithine-rich foods. Exercising and getting plenty of sleep each night can also benefit some people who are HGH deficient. The same applies to reducing or finding effective ways to cope with chronic stress, which not only lowers growth hormone levels but also increases cortisol, a hormonal imbalance linked to high blood pressure, high blood sugar, reduced fertility, gastrointestinal problems, and so much more. Taking dietary supplements, such as creatine and glutamine, has also been shown to normalize low growth hormone levels in some individuals. When dietary changes, exercise, and supplementation fail or don’t raise low growth hormone levels in the blood enough, some people turn to hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Hormone Replacement Therapy To Combat Human Growth Hormone Deficiency
For those unfamiliar with HRT, it entails using FDA-approved prescription injectable drugs to help increase growth hormone production in the body. According to a University of Michigan study, Genotropin, Humatrope, Norditropin, Nutropin, Nutropin AQ, Saizen, Serostim, and Zomacton are some of the drugs physicians commonly prescribe to adult patients who are growth hormone deficient and struggling with related deficiency symptoms.
The Truth About How Long It Takes for HRT Medications To Work
Want to know about the HGH results timeline? There are several factors that dictate how quickly someone will see results after starting an HRT regimen to combat a human growth hormone deficiency. Some of these include their age, the HRT medication they are taking and the medication dosage, rate of absorption, and whether or not they have other underlying medical problems. It is also worth noting that the benefits of HRT don’t all come on at once but rather gradually. Studies show that most men and women experience noticeable sleep and energy improvements within 1 to 2 weeks of starting HRT.
Within 3 to 6 months, most experience weight loss and improved muscle tone and skin appearance. The same applies to improved mood, cognitive function, focus, and relief from most gastrointestinal problems. After the 3 to 6-month mark, most men and women on an HRT regimen to treat low HGH notice increased libido and improved sexual function. They also notice additional improvements in sleep, strength, mood, and overall health.
In summary, being growth hormone deficient can affect someone’s health in many ways. But there are things they can do about it. That includes adopting healthy lifestyle habits and speaking to their physician about possibly starting an HRT regimen.