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What does HGH do for females?
No matter your age, GH has another important role which is related to metabolism. Specifically, it enhances the use of fat, promotes the synthesis of proteins and affects the action of insulin, and blood sugar levels. Females are characterized for their higher fat levels compared to males, therefore GH is even more important for them.
Growth hormone secretion is increased during the night and reaches the highest levels in the second half of the night. Therefore, sleep plays a key role in the release of growth hormone. Moreover, HGH secretion is bigger in females compared to males.
The younger you are – the bigger amount is released in your body. The sex difference is due to the estrogens which are the main hormones affecting the female reproductive system and the growth hormone levels.
According to a 2016 published study the difference in growth hormone levels between the two genders remains until the age of 50 and then it was noticed that the levels between the two genders are almost equal.
The hormonal changes after menopause affect GH levels in females to such an extent that researchers noticed a reduction of about 80% in women of age 65.
Another factor that influences the hormone levels is the Body Mass Index (BMI) and the higher the BMI is – the lower the growth hormone levels are.
The University of California sets the normal range of GH levels for adult females at 1 to 14 ng/mL, or 44 to 616 pmol/L
Growth hormone deficiency in adult women can be caused by multiple health issues and it should not be left untreated. Therefore, it is important to follow the right steps and be checked by a specialized physician to be able to get the best possible treatment.
Our clinic and specialized doctors can give you answers about the female hormone deficiency diagnosis and treatment. In the next lines, we are going to provide you all the necessary knowledge to be well-informed about symptoms, causes, and treatment for women’s growth hormone deficiency.
If you need a personalized treatment plan or want to know what benefits of growth hormone for women you can expect, just click the button below to schedule a free consultation with one of our doctors.
Growth hormone deficiency in women
The most common adult growth hormone deficiency symptoms in females are:
- Central adiposity (belly fat)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Neuromuscular dysfunction
- Decreased muscle mass
- Decreased insulin sensitivity
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Reduced strength
- Reduced muscle mass
- Reduced Bone Mineral Density
Also, genetics might play a role in occurring of deficiency. On the other hand, many of the female hormone deficiencies are caused by a pituitary adenoma or their treatment (surgery, radiation, etc.).
During the last decades, it was noticed that GH deficiency is also caused by athletes of contact sports like rugby, boxing, basketball, and other sports which can cause traumatic brain injury and head trauma leading to adult GHD.
How to diagnose growth hormone deficiency in women
After the physical examination and in case there is suspicion for GH deficiency, the doctor will ask for some blood tests to check if there is a deficiency. These growth hormone tests are mostly done by measuring IGF-I and GH levels.
In the case of GHD, the doctor decides about your therapy, the exact duration, and doses. The only legal way to get a prescription for growth hormone therapy is through consultation and medical tests at the office of a specialized doctor (endocrinologist).
Treatment for growth hormone deficiency in women
The only effective form to treat growth hormone deficiency is using HGH injections, which have benefits and possible side effects. Usually, injections are administered subcutaneously before sleep.
In the market, there are products like pills, homeopathic HGH gels, or supplements promising an increase in GH levels, but they are not growth hormone, they don’t enhance its production and there is no evidence that they have any positive effect.
What to expect during the therapy
After a woman gets HGH therapy, she will gradually experience differences in her body. There are some metabolic changes that women can notice including increased muscle mass, lean body mass, and decreased fat mass.
Additionally, growth hormone therapy results in improved LDL-cholesterol levels and leads to an improvement in markers related to cardiovascular health.
One possible side effect of overdosing on growth hormone is hypersecretion which results in acromegaly, a condition characterized by insulin resistance, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular morbidities, soft tissue enlargement, and excessive skeletal growth.
Therefore, our doctors are specialized in HGH treatment for women to ensure the safety and effectiveness of your therapy. They are the ones who decide how to start treatment and how much HGH to take.
On top of that, research shows that higher doses of HGH in adults can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diseases
The usual recommendation is a daily dose of 0.3 mg for young women, and 0.1 mg for older individuals. The following regimen is suggested :
- Adult 18- 30 years: 0.4-0.5 mg/day
- Adults 30-60 years: 0.2-0.3 mg/day
- Adults over 60 years (or diabetics): 0.1-0.2 mg/day
Benefits of HGH treatment for females
HGH treatment is personalized according to the needs and the response of your body. The physician increases and adjusts gradually the dose he administers. Therefore, the follow-up by a doctor during the whole duration of the therapy is crucial and our clinics know well the importance of follow-up of the treatment.
The marker that is used to adjust the dose of growth hormone is IGF-1 which we measure through a blood test
Usually, physicians aim to reach the upper half of the normal range considering the gender and age of the patient except for the cases where side effects occur.
Afterward, during the process of follow-up which happens every 6 months, we monitor the GH levels by measuring IGF-1 and some metabolic factors like cholesterol levels, glucose levels, etc.
As mentioned above there are plenty of benefits of HGH for women. However, the results timeline depends on the organs-systems that we evaluate and, in some cases, need more than 6 months to be noticed.
The improvements in the female body like lean muscle mass, fat reduction can be noticed even in less than 3 months. Considering the bone mineral density, significant differences occur after 6–12 months of treatment. Also, the Bone Mineral Density continues to improve even 1-2 years after the end of treatment.