Growth Hormone Effects

Growth hormones are anabolic (tissue-building) hormones that stimulate most body cells to increase in size and divide. Furthermore, they have incredible means to promote protein synthesis, while encouraging the use of fats for fuel. Although the implication for this hormone is imperative for our normal growth cycle, its commercial prevalence, due to technological genetic engineering techniques, has been its down side. The popularity of its synthetic counterpart has caused much unknown outcome of its effect on us.

Commonly, athletes and elderly are primarily tempted to use GH for its body building properties. While it has been publicized that muscle mass will increase through its utilization, there is no evidence for an increase in muscle strength. Supporting evidence displays that only the connective tissue collagen increases not the contractile proteins actin and myosin. Moreover, the excessive use of synthetic GH can ultimately lead to joint muscle pain, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and a shortened life span.





Common growth hormone disorder:

1.Gigantism- hypersecretion in children in which bones are targeted in excess of growth hormones. The child becomes uncharacteristically tall , despite relatively normal body proportions

2.Acromegaly- “enlarged extremities” excess of growth hormones persisting after childhood. Since the bones stop growing the hormone doesn’t affect height but causes permanent deformities by thickening the bones in the face, hands, and feet

3.Pituitary Dwarfism- Hyposecretion of growth hormone in children which consequently results in slowed long bone growth despite normal body proportions.