Growth hormone analysis is an important test that measures the amount of growth hormone (GH) in your blood, and the growth hormone is formed in the pituitary gland, and it also affects the height, bones and muscle growth in children, and also affects adults and their appearance, as well as the health of their bones and muscles. American Rochester.
Most growth hormone is made during sleep. When you are awake, there is little or no growth hormone in your blood. This makes it difficult to test your growth hormone level.
Scientists have developed ways to see how well you produce this important hormone by testing your blood over time after you’ve been given an inhibitory agent, such as glucose, or a stimulating factor, such as insulin.
When should a growth hormone test be done?
You may need this test if your doctor suspects a problem with growth hormone. Signs include:
– low bone density
– Decreased muscle strength
– Increased level of fat in the blood
Limb enlargement, or excessive growth hormone disease.
Acromegaly refers to excessive enlargement of the extremities from thickening of the bones and soft tissues.
This is caused by too much growth hormone and for adults who have stopped growing, the areas most affected are the face, jaw, hands and feet.
Your child may need this test if he or she has these signs:
– slow growth
Short stature with normal weight
– delayed puberty
The symptoms of gigantism and gigantism are abnormal overgrowth of the body caused by the production of too much growth hormone before the developing ends of the bones close.
A child with this condition becomes an unusually tall adult, but body proportions are usually normal.
You can also have this test if you have had growth hormone therapy, so your healthcare provider can monitor your dose and change it if necessary.
You may have this test if you’ve been a young adult who’s been taking growth hormone for years but may not need it anymore.
You may also need this test if you have acromegaly, so your doctor can monitor your condition.
What other tests might you do with this test?
Your doctor may also order other tests to look for a possible growth hormone deficiency. These tests include:
Insulin tolerance
Growth hormone-releasing hormone
Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3IGFBP-3)
Tests that use other medicines such as clonidine or glucagon
If your doctor suspects you have excess growth hormone, he or she may order an oral glucose tolerance test or other hormone tests.