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Determining whether an adult needs to use growth hormone is mainly considered from the following aspects:
I. Clinical symptom assessment
II. Medical examination
III. Comprehensive judgment
In conclusion, determining whether an adult needs to use growth hormone is a complex process that requires comprehensive consideration of clinical symptoms, medical examinations, and individual circumstances. The use of growth hormone must be carried out under the guidance of professional doctors to ensure that it plays its role safely and effectively.
I. Clinical symptom assessment
- Changes in body composition
- Observe whether there is a significant reduction in muscle mass. If you find that your strength has significantly decreased, and you feel more strenuous than before when performing daily activities such as lifting heavy objects and climbing stairs, and it is difficult to improve through regular strength training, it may indicate insufficient muscle mass. At the same time, pay attention to whether there is fat accumulation, especially abnormal increase in abdominal fat. If an adult's waist circumference gradually increases and central obesity appears, it may be related to changes in growth hormone levels.
- Changes in skin condition are also worthy of attention. If the skin becomes loose, dry, loses elasticity, and wrinkles increase and deepen, it may be one of the signals of changes in the overall physiological state of the body. A decrease in growth hormone levels may be a factor.
- Decline in physical strength and endurance
- Feel that physical strength is much worse than before and you are easily fatigued. When performing moderate physical activities or exercises, you will soon feel extremely tired and the recovery time is also significantly prolonged. For example, jogging or fitness activities that could be easily completed before now feel very difficult. This may imply that there is a problem with the body's metabolism and recovery ability, and growth hormone may play a certain role in it.
- Decline in endurance is manifested as difficulty in continuously performing activities for a long time. For example, in the past, you could walk a long distance continuously or perform long-term aerobic exercise, but now you are soon out of breath and unable to persist. This may also be related to changes in growth hormone levels.
- Emotional and cognitive changes
- Pay attention to changes in emotions. If adults experience emotional problems such as low mood, anxiety, and depression, and common causes such as psychological stress and life events are excluded, abnormal growth hormone levels may be a potential factor. Growth hormone has a certain influence on brain neurotransmitters, and its deficiency may lead to an imbalance in emotional regulation.
- Changes in cognitive function may also indicate problems with growth hormone. If you find that your memory declines, it is difficult to concentrate, and your thinking reaction speed slows down, you may need to consider the influence of growth hormone on brain function.
II. Medical examination
- Determination of growth hormone level
- Detect the level of growth hormone through blood. However, since the secretion of growth hormone is pulsatile, a single test result may be inaccurate. Usually, a growth hormone stimulation test is required. In the stimulation test, drugs can be used to stimulate the secretion of growth hormone, and then blood samples are collected at different time points to detect the peak and dynamic changes of growth hormone. If the growth hormone level after stimulation is significantly lower than the normal range, it may indicate growth hormone deficiency.
- At the same time, detect the level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 is a substance produced after growth hormone acts on target organs. Its level can reflect the activity of growth hormone to a certain extent. If the IGF-1 level is reduced, it may also indicate growth hormone deficiency or insufficient action.
- Assessment of body organ function
- Check thyroid function. Thyroid hormones interact with growth hormones. Abnormal thyroid function may affect the metabolism and action of growth hormones. If there is hypothyroidism, it may lead to weakened action of growth hormones and symptoms similar to growth hormone deficiency.
- Evaluate kidney and liver function. Kidneys and livers play an important role in the metabolism and clearance of growth hormones. If kidney or liver function is damaged, it may affect the level and activity of growth hormones. For example, patients with chronic kidney disease may have growth hormone resistance, resulting in a relatively increased growth hormone level but a reduced biological effect.
- Bone density detection
- For adults suspected of growth hormone deficiency, bone density detection is necessary. Growth hormone plays an important role in bone growth and maintaining bone density. If there is a lack of growth hormone, it may lead to a decrease in bone density and increase the risk of osteoporosis. Through detection methods such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), bone density can be accurately assessed.
III. Comprehensive judgment
- Exclude other causes
- When determining whether growth hormone is needed, other possible causes of similar symptoms must be excluded first. For example, a decline in physical strength and muscle mass may be caused by factors such as lack of exercise, malnutrition, chronic diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, rheumatic diseases, etc.), insufficient sleep, and psychological stress. Emotional and cognitive changes may also be related to psychological problems, nervous system diseases, and drug side effects. Therefore, a comprehensive physical examination and medical history inquiry are needed to determine that these symptoms are not caused by other reasons.
- Evaluation by professional doctors
- The final judgment should be made by a professional endocrinologist based on the patient's clinical symptoms, medical examination results, and individual circumstances. Doctors will consider factors such as the patient's age, gender, health status, and family medical history, and weigh the potential benefits and risks of using growth hormone. If there is clear evidence of growth hormone deficiency and the patient may benefit from growth hormone treatment, the doctor will formulate an individualized treatment plan and closely monitor the treatment effect and side effects.
In conclusion, determining whether an adult needs to use growth hormone is a complex process that requires comprehensive consideration of clinical symptoms, medical examinations, and individual circumstances. The use of growth hormone must be carried out under the guidance of professional doctors to ensure that it plays its role safely and effectively.
