Growth hormone stimulates growth and regeneration. It is secreted by the pituitary gland in the brain. A synthetic form of the hormone exists called somatropin and can be administered to treat growth disorders. Effects on growth hormone-deficient patients include decreased body fat, increased muscle mass, increased bone density, increased energy and sexual function, and improved immune function. It also has several side effects that must be weighed by anyone undergoing replacement therapy.
Diabetes
Growth hormone has “anti-insulin” properties and serves to increase blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia. Chronic or excessively increased growth hormone levels result in persistently elevated blood sugar, which can result in development of diabetes.
Cardiac Dysfunction
Excess growth hormone levels can impair heart function. It can cause the heart to increase in mass, which increases the heart’s oxygen demand and affects the way the heart muscle contracts. Also, the heart tends to increase its output, which can increase blood pressure. Ultimately, heart failure can result, which is a major cause of death in patients with excessively elevated growth hormone levels.
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Pseudotumor cerebri, also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension, has been noted to occur in patients undergoing growth hormone replacement therapy, according to “Williams Textbook of Endocrinology.” It is characterized by increased pressure inside the skull with patients complaining of headache, nausea, dizziness, clumsiness and visual changes. Because it can damage the optic nerves and cause permanent visual disability, recognition and treatment is vital.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a medical condition characterized by increased pressure on the median nerve in the hand. Symptoms include numbness and/or tingling in the hand and fingers, pain that can extend from the palm all the way up to the shoulder, and a sense of weakness in the hands. Growth hormone replacement has a risk of CTS due to the tendency for fluid accumulation. Increased fluid in the hand can result in increased pressure on the median nerve, with resulting symptoms.
Joint Pain
Patients on growth hormone replacement have an increased risk of joint pain, primarily due to the increased growth of cartilage. These changes are irreversible, and can often result in longstanding arthritis in the joints, according to a March 2010 article in the journal Endocrine and Metabolism Clinics.
Acromegaly
Growth hormone excess can result in a condition known as acromegaly in which the body’s tissues gradually enlarge. The hands and feet are typically enlarged and facial changes such as shape, protruding lower jaw, enlarged nose, thick lips and wide spaces between the teeth can be quite prominent. The skin also tends to become oily, the voice becomes deeper due to vocal cord enlargement and sexual dysfunction can occur. In addition, snoring can become quite severe due to obstruction of the airways. Organ size can also increase along with impairment of normal vision. The changes are often quite gradual and only noticed when comparing old photographs.
About this Author
Saad Mohammad, M.D., is currently in the process of applying to residency anesthesiology. His first published research occurred in 2009 at the American Thoracic Society National Conference where a poster presentation was accepted and at the Bridgeport Symposium 2009. He began professionally writing in 2009 for Demand Studios as a freelance writer on issues in health and medicine.
