Human growth hormone (HGH) is not something most adults think about as they age. Many are concerned about maintaining adequate testosterone or estrogen levels. However, it is growth hormone (GH) that is the body’s master hormone, regulating everything from metabolism to brain functions to immunity to cell regeneration. Without enough GH, the body will likely experience many unpleasant changes leading to a condition called HGH deficiency in adults.
Low HGH in males and females over age thirty can lead to infertility, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and many other health concerns. Adults may suffer from memory loss that can result in dementia. Impaired health and fractures can impair independence later in life.
We cannot stress enough the importance of knowing your growth hormone levels as you age. If you have any of the symptoms mentioned in the next section, please contact our hormone therapy clinic for a free consultation by phone to discuss these concerns.
The effects of low HGH in adults are long-lasting. Without action, growth hormone levels will only continue to decline. The sooner you act, the quicker and easier it is to get the results of HGH therapy.
*HGH deficiency in adults can increase the risk of many serious and possibly- debilitating health concerns.
HGH deficiency symptoms in adults are considerably different from those in children whose growth does not keep up with their peers. Because adults have finished growing, it is vital to understand the other ways that GH works in the body.
The low HGH symptoms in adults are so widespread that they may not look the same from one person to another. As growth hormone enters the bloodstream in pulsatile bursts, it races towards its receptors throughout the body and brain. Depending on which receptor cells receive enough GH and which do not, those are the areas that will suffer decline. A person whose GH receptors in the brain do not get enough growth hormones will likely have impaired cognitive functions and memory loss. If the bones and muscles do not receive enough GH, osteoporosis and muscular weakness could occur.
The list below shows the most common HGH deficiency in adults symptoms:
- Increased fat retention – especially around the abdomen
- Muscle loss and weakness
- Fatigue and lack of stamina
- Depression
- Low sexual desire
- Impaired sexual functions
- Infertility
- Bone loss
- Joint pains
- Frequent illness and slow healing
- Reduced exercise capacity and results
- Slow exercise recovery
- Increased fracture risk
- High LDL and total cholesterol
- Loss of collagen and elastin resulting in wrinkles and sagging skin
- Thinning or loss of hair
- Brittle nails
- Elevated blood pressure
- Insulin resistance
- High blood sugar
- Sensitivity to hot and cold changes
- Self-isolation
- Mood swings
- Anxiety and stress
- Sleep disturbances, insomnia
- Internal organ shrinkage and obstructed functions
- Reduces motivation and productivity
*HGH deficiency symptoms in adults can impair overall quality of life.
Multiple factors can contribute to low HGH levels in adults. The first is the same as with testosterone, DHEA, progesterone, and estrogen levels – the natural aging process. The body begins to decrease growth hormone production long before most men and women leave their twenties behind. After a few decades, GH levels can become so low that the previously mentioned symptoms may appear.
Other reasons for the development of HGH deficiency exist – some of which are controllable – others not. Here are the most likely HGH deficiency causes for adults:
- Continuing childhood-onset HGH deficiency
- Traumatic brain injury
- Tumor of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus
- Radiation or surgical treatment of the brain tumor
- Interference in blood supply to the pituitary gland
- Lack of adequate sleep (that is when the pituitary gland secretes the most GH)
- Sedentary lifestyle (exercise stimulates GH release during the day)
- Obesity (excess weight reduces GH levels)
*Lack of sleep, weight gain, and exercise are three controllable causes of HGH deficiency in adults.
Most general physicians are unfamiliar with adult growth hormone deficiency. They do not recognize the symptoms and may run other tests that overlook that diagnosis. Some of these tests may be expensive, time-consuming, or invasive. Here at our hormone therapy clinic, we recommend that men and women with at least a few of the symptoms listed above undergo an HGH deficiency test before engaging in other, more expensive diagnostic services.
To test for HGH deficiency, adults will only have to visit a local laboratory for a blood specimen collection. Hormone specialists know which blood panels to run to assess various issues that can be the cause of these symptoms. If markers in the blood point to a possible tumor or more severe problem, the doctor will recommend further testing before prescribing treatment.
However, for most adults with low GH levels, the results will show HGH deficiency. Each person will also undergo a physical exam to rule out other health issues further and provide information necessary to the determination of an HGH dosage.
*Getting a comprehensive blood test for HGH deficiency can save time and money over other types of diagnostic testing.
Once diagnosed, adults can then receive HGH deficiency treatment to increase the amount of human growth hormones available to their GH receptor cells. With HGH therapy, the deficiency symptoms gradually begin to reverse themselves and disappear. Men and women report looking, feeling, and performing the way they did years earlier – before the decline.
Low HGH treatment consists of once-daily injections of human growth hormone, self-administered each night at home. Our hormone specialist will calculate the necessary dosage based on body composition, level of deficiency, age, gender, and overall health. All medications and supplies ship from the pharmacy to your door.
Continued supervision and follow-up blood analysis ensures that the desired results are achieved without any unwanted side effects.
To learn more about treatment for HGH deficiency, please contact our hormone therapy clinic for a free, confidential consultation by phone.