Somatopause: Or something else? Differential Diagnosis

Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (E00-E90).

  • Obesity (overweight)-particularly with android body fat distribution, that is, abdominal, truncal, central body fat (apple type).
  • Andropause (menopause of the male)
  • Diabetes mellitus – is accompanied by hyperglycemia (hyperglycemia), which inhibits growth hormone production.
  • Hemochromatosis (iron storage disease) – genetic disease with autosomal recessive inheritance with increased deposition of iron as a result of increased iron concentration in the blood with tissue damage.
  • Hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism).
  • Hypopituitarism, e.g., due to craniopharyngioma or Sheehan syndrome (= secondary Empty Sella syndrome (SES)).
  • Adrenal hyperfunction (cortisol suppresses growth hormone).
  • Hyperglycemia – inhibits growth hormone production.
  • Hyperinsulinemia
  • Deficiency of steroid hormones (adrenal and ovarian steroid hormones), especially androgens (e.g., andropause).
  • Menopause (menopause in women)
  • Hypertriglyceridemia (serum triglyceride concentration > 200 mg/dl) → increased degradation of triglycerides to free fatty acids (FA) and glycerol – free fatty acids (FFS) suppress (inhibit) growth hormone production.

Liver, gallbladder and bile ducts – Pancreas (pancreas) (K70-K77; K80-K87).

Psyche – nervous system (F00-F99; G00-G99).

  • Sleep disorders
  • Stress

Further

  • Resistance of the liver to STH, which in turn manifests itself in lowered concentrations of circulating insulin-like growth factor (IGF).

Medication

  • Bromocryptine
  • Chlorpromazine
  • Corticosteroids
  • Cyproheptadine
  • Ergotamine alkaloids
  • Morphine, apomorphine
  • Methylxanthines – aminophylline, theophylline
  • Methysergide
  • Phenoxybenzamine
  • Phentolamine
  • Reserpine
  • Tolazoline