Introduction
Growth hormones (abbreviation GH =growth hormone) are hormones, and thus chemical messengers that stimulate growth. These include: The growth of a living being, especially of the body, an increased protein biosynthesis, an increase in the density of bone substance and an increased fat burning. The growth hormones will be released into the blood to perform their specific functions at their destination.
An example of a classical growth hormone is somatropin. This is known under various names, which can be used as synonyms: Somatotropic Hormone, Growth Hormone, Human Growth Hormone and Growth Hormone. From a chemical point of view it is a peptide hormone, structurally it is a polypeptide, which means nothing else than that it is a molecule which is built up of single amino acids which are connected to each other by special chemical bonds, the so-called peptide bonds. In the case of the polypeptide, these are about 10 – 100 amino acids that form a linkage. In exceptional cases, such as somatotropin, there are sometimes 191 amino acids.
Function
As the name suggests, the “Growth Hormone” makes our body grow. This is called longitudinal growth. However, this term is partly misleading, as the bone system and internal organs, the skin, but also the nose and ears can be visibly affected.
The already mentioned somatotropin has a direct effect on our cells. One of the best researched properties is the body growth shortly after birth. In this process, the so-called insulin-like growth factor 1 is produced in the liver under the influence of growth hormone. This is also a growth factor that plays an important role in the regulation of cell growth.
Effect
Growth hormones like somatotropin are essential for healthy and normal growth in the development of every human being and many animals. However, increased production in the body (e.g. by pituitary tumors) or an external supply is always accompanied by changes in the body. For example, an overdose of growth hormones in adolescents leads to giant growth.
In adults, this often leads to uneven bone growth and growth of the acra. This means that size growth can occur at the end of the extremities (feet, chin, hands, ears). In addition to this growth in size, deformities of the cranial bone are to be expected, as well as soft tissue growth of the heart (cardiomegaly).
Conversely, a lack of growth hormone reduces muscle mass in adults, increases fat content (especially in the face) and reduces bone density. As a result, the quality of life is often reduced, which in turn is associated with a reduced life expectancy. Biochemically and physiologically, somatotropin has a primary effect: Muscles, liver, cartilage, bones and kidney. It also has a fat-breaking effect on fat cells, generally increasing blood sugar levels.
