A deficiency of important growth hormones can result in a lack of length growth. While hereditary factors as well as nutrition also play a role, if growth hormones are low or absent altogether, a child will not grow as well as his or her peers even under the best of circumstances.
What are growth hormones?
Growth hormones, also called somatropin, are messenger substances produced in the pituitary gland, the hypophysis. Many bodily functions are controlled from there; thyroid function or adrenal function are also regulated by such messengers. Growth hormones, as the name suggests, are responsible for length growth. Growth hormones are formed from birth, are secreted predominantly during sleep and are produced particularly strongly in childhood. Increased secretion of growth hormones also occurs during puberty. Most children who are born very small often make up for the lack of length growth by the time they reach school age. Others have a significant growth spurt during puberty and overtake their peers in a short period of time.
Functions, roles, and meanings
All organs, tissues, muscles and bones get the message to grow from growth hormones, but fat and bone metabolism and sugar balance also need growth hormones to function optimally. This is why growth hormones are also produced throughout life, only to a lesser extent after length growth is complete. In rare cases of disease, growth hormones must be supplied for life. Much more often, however, it is sufficient to support a growth in length by growth hormones. Before growth hormones are artificially administered, comprehensive examinations are necessary. Doctors who specialize in the treatment of hormone disorders, endocrinologists, can use various stimulation tests to determine whether too few growth hormones are being produced. This involves examining before and after a test whether there are sufficient numbers of certain substances that are produced in connection with the production of growth hormones. The body is then administered substances that ensure that the pituitary gland releases more growth hormones. This can also be caused by the administration of insulin. The artificially induced hypoglycemia of the blood causes a release of the growth hormones in a healthy person. Such tests are an important diagnostic tool to ensure that artificial growth hormone treatment is appropriate. Once a diagnosis is established and the doctor prescribes artificial growth hormones, the further course is closely monitored. The hand is also x-rayed regularly. During the growth phase, there are gaps between the ends of the bones, so-called growth plates. Once longitudinal growth is complete, these growth plates are also closed. At the latest then, the treatment with growth hormones is normally discontinued. Growth hormones can be produced biotechnologically since the 1980s; before that, they could only be obtained by taking them from the pituitary gland of deceased persons. This procedure was costly and also not really safe. Infections were transmitted. Since growth hormones can be produced biotechnologically, the risk of infections has been eliminated.
Growth hormones are not administered in tablet form because they would otherwise be broken down by the normal digestive system. They are usually administered via a “pen” as known from insulin therapy and must be injected under the skin, into the fatty tissue. The daily dose is best administered always in the evening, because this also corresponds to the natural process.
Diseases, ailments and disorders
Growth hormone treatment is closely monitored for many reasons. Too high a dosage of growth hormones can cause organs to grow too quickly or produce diabetes mellitus. However, this form of diabetes disappears after therapy is stopped. Other side effects may include headaches, limb and joint pain, which also occur during natural growth phases in children. In rare cases, changes in the femoral head may occur. The success depends on the correct dosage, which has to be controlled again and again and adjusted accordingly.In addition, because growth hormones are also used in doping because they accelerate muscle growth and enhance general performance, special meticulous attention is paid to whether consumption matches prescription reorders.
