Somatotropin, also called somatropin, growth hormone, or somatotropic hormone, is a so-called peptide hormone that is produced in the anterior pituitary gland. The hormonal action of somatotropin affects overall metabolism and growth.
What is somatropin?
Schematic diagram showing the anatomy and structure of the endocrine (hormone) system. Click to enlarge. Like most hormones in the human organism, somatotropic hormone is a messenger substance that is effective even in minute amounts and is embedded in a higher-level regulatory circuit. Deviations from this regulatory cycle can only be compensated for within very narrow limits. Otherwise, dysregulation and thus symptoms and diseases can inevitably occur. Somatotropin has a typical molecular structure that has already been fully decoded. It is a polypeptide, i.e. a complex protein molecule consisting of a sequence of a total of 191 amino acids. The molecular weight of the somatotropic hormone and its corresponding genes on the 17th chromosome are also known. It has been demonstrated that growth hormone has a direct influence on a large number of metabolic processes. In addition, cell differentiation as well as growth processes are directly related to its hormone action.
Production, manufacture, and formation
The English name Human growth Hormone, HGH, is also commonly used in everyday medical practice in German-speaking countries as the name for growth hormone. The formation and production of somatropin takes place exclusively in the so-called anterior pituitary, also called the adenohypophysis. The posterior part of the pituitary gland is also called the neurohypophysis, also a site of hormone production. The pituitary gland is an organ about the size of a cherry pit in the human brain. The overriding regulatory circuit is the hypothalamus. Through messenger substances, the adenohypophysis receives the command from the hypothalamus to secrete hormones. Somatropin is secreted directly into the peripheral blood. The distribution of the hormone thus takes place immediately throughout the body and can take effect without delay. Along with somatotropic hormone, 4 other important hormone groups are produced in the anterior pituitary gland and secreted into the blood as needed. Developmentally, somatotropin is undoubtedly one of the oldest hormones.
Function, effects, and properties
Growth hormone influences the effects in protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism. These effects have been demonstrated not only in humans but also in most mammals. Immediately after birth, somatotropin controls body growth. For normal human growth, the somatotropic hormone is most certainly indispensable. The formation and differentiation of organ function cells of the bones and muscles would not be possible without the effect of growth hormone. Particularly large volumes of growth hormone are secreted during puberty. After the end of adolescence, somatropin is also produced throughout the rest of life, but in considerably smaller quantities. In anti-aging medicine, synthetically produced growth hormone is used to influence aging processes. Mental and physical well-being seem to be directly related to the blood concentration of somatotropin. However, it has not been proven whether artificially supplied growth hormone actually has a positive influence on cell aging. Together with the hormone melatonin, somatotropin is increasingly produced in adults during sleep and darkness. It has also been shown that the human pituitary gland produces more growth hormone during starvation. Therefore, in order to increase the natural production of somatotropin and promote fat loss, it is recommended that no solid food be consumed for several hours before bedtime. Prolonged periods of fasting are also associated with an increased rate of growth hormone release.
Diseases, ailments, and disorders
Any pathological change in the pituitary gland can lead to overproduction or underproduction of somatropin. This is associated with far-reaching effects on the entire metabolism. Often benign or malignant tumors of the pituitary gland lead to hormone deficiency or excess. Congenital genetic disorders of the pituitary gland are associated with underproduction of growth hormone.In some cases, production also stops completely. The result is a child’s short stature, which unfortunately is often only diagnosed in the first few years of life. The missing hormone can be supplied parenterally, adapted to age and need. If the therapy is carried out in time, all deficiency symptoms can be corrected. Typical symptoms of a growth hormone deficiency are muscle loss, insufficient mineralization of the bones and an increase in body fat. Overproduction is usually the result of a malignant tumor of the anterior pituitary. There is an uncontrolled release of somatotropin into blood. The consequences are giant growth, diabetes and acromegaly. This results in unnatural growth in size of the tongue, chin, nose, ears, feet and hands. These pathological changes are considered irreversible when fully developed. If the pituitary gland is surgically removed, lifelong substitution of pituitary hormones is required.
