Growth hormone

Definition

Growth hormone is a peptide hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland that plays a critical role in growth, metabolism, and overall body composition. It stimulates growth and cell reproduction, influencing various bodily functions like muscle and bone growth while also regulating fat metabolism and blood sugar levels.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Growth hormone is secreted in pulses, primarily during sleep, which aligns with its role in promoting growth and repair.
2. In children and adolescents, adequate levels of growth hormone are essential for normal growth and development; deficiencies can lead to stunted growth.
3. In adults, growth hormone continues to play a vital role in metabolism by promoting protein synthesis, encouraging the use of fat for energy, and helping maintain muscle mass.
4. Excessive production of growth hormone can lead to conditions like acromegaly, characterized by abnormal growth of bones and tissues, while deficiency can result in growth disorders.
5. Synthetic forms of growth hormone are often used in medical treatments for conditions such as dwarfism and to improve muscle mass in patients undergoing severe weight loss due to illness.

Review Questions

• How does growth hormone influence body composition and metabolism?
  • Growth hormone significantly influences body composition by promoting muscle growth and reducing fat mass. It stimulates protein synthesis, leading to an increase in lean muscle tissue. At the same time, it encourages the breakdown of fats for energy use, contributing to a leaner body composition. This dual action of promoting muscle while reducing fat plays a crucial role in overall metabolic health.
• Discuss the consequences of both excess and deficiency of growth hormone in humans.
  • Excess growth hormone can lead to acromegaly in adults, which causes abnormal enlargement of bones and tissues, while in children it can result in gigantism. On the other hand, deficiency in growth hormone can lead to growth disorders in children and may cause decreased muscle mass, increased fat accumulation, and impaired metabolic function in adults. These conditions highlight the importance of balanced growth hormone levels for health.
• Evaluate the role of synthetic growth hormone therapies and their implications for health and ethics.
  • Synthetic growth hormone therapies have significant implications for health by providing treatment for those with growth deficiencies or conditions causing severe weight loss. However, these therapies raise ethical concerns when misused by athletes or individuals seeking anti-aging benefits without medical necessity. Evaluating the benefits versus potential misuse emphasizes the need for strict regulations surrounding synthetic growth hormones to ensure they are used responsibly and effectively.

Related terms

Somatotropin: Another name for growth hormone, primarily used in medical contexts to refer to its synthetic form used for treatments.

Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1): A hormone stimulated by growth hormone that mediates many of its growth-promoting effects on tissues, particularly during childhood and adolescence.

Pituitary Gland: A small gland located at the base of the brain responsible for producing several hormones, including growth hormone, which regulates various physiological processes.