Yashoda Hospitals > Diagnostics > HGH Test

What is HGH Test?

HGH test or Human Growth Hormone test or Somatotropin test measures the level of growth hormone in the blood. The blood sample collected from the individual helps in determining the amount of growth hormone secreted by the body. 

Human Growth Hormone is synthesised by the pituitary gland, which is located in the brain. Growth hormone is responsible for normal growth and metabolism of an individual. 

The test is recommended when there is abnormal development of the body, slow growth, delayed brain development, low muscle mass or low bone density.  The test can be performed for conditions like gigantism in children and acromegaly in adults.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    HGH test is used to check if the pituitary gland is making enough growth hormone for the normal development of bones and muscles in the body. Through the HGH test, the doctor can identify any underlying cause of weight loss, low energy, less strength, slow metabolism, less muscle mass and low bone density in children or adults.

    From the test results, it can be interpreted that an appropriate amount of growth hormone is present in the blood. Growth hormone stimulation test helps in finding hormone deficiency and from growth hormone suppression test, excess levels of hormone can be measured. Test results can indicate a decrease in pituitary function (hypopituitarism), tumour or any brain injury.

    HGH test is needed when the growth of the child is questionable. If the child shows stunted growth, muscle loss, improper height to weight ratio or shows symptoms of gigantism then HGH test is needed. In adults, the test is needed when the person complains of fatigue, less strength, low bone density or acromegaly.

    During the test, the blood sample is drawn from the patient in regular intervals to test the growth hormone levels. The patient needs to fast for a few hours before the test and is not allowed to take any medicines which can interfere with the test.GH stimulation test or GH suppression test can be performed using arginine, glucagon or glucose water to check GH levels post administration.

    Normal human growth hormone levels in children range in between 10-50 ng/mL (nanograms per millilitre) and for adult males it can vary from 0.4-10 ng/mL and in adult females the HGH levels are in between 1-14 ng/mL. Adequate levels can be determined from the results of GH stimulation test (>5 ng/mL) or GH suppression test (<0.3 ng/mL).

    Human growth hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland during sleep. This hormone helps in growth of bones and muscles and overall development of the body. In children, GH increases height, develops the brain and strengthens bones and muscles, while in adults it is responsible to provide energy and regulate metabolism. It helps in cell repair and regeneration.

    When the person suffers from symptoms like swelling in limbs, change of facial expressions, sudden weight change or increase in height abnormally, it can be indicative of high HGH levels. The child may suffer from gigantism (extremely tall due to longer bones). Adults may have acromegaly where bone size of face, hands and feet increase.

    High HGH levels in children may cause gigantism and in adults it may result in acromegaly, heart ailments, high blood pressure and impaired vision. This can be confirmed from a GH suppression test. Over secretion of growth hormone can indicate that the pituitary gland is overactive which can be due to tumour present in the area.

    As per recent studies, it is evident that HGH affects sperm count as it stimulates the pituitary gland and helps in cell growth and repair. It can improve overall semen volume, sperm count and sperm mobility. Growth hormone promotes sperm production and its maturation, which improves male fertility.

    Too much or too little of anything is harmful, so is the case with human growth hormone. Deficiency or excessive of growth hormone can lead to serious health problems including retarded growth, anxiety, irreversible acromegaly, heart diseases and diabetes. Administration of synthetic GH is done for medical conditions where there is growth hormone deficiency in individuals.

     

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