S. who had received growth hormone in the 1960's developed Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (Frasier)
Growth hormone increases calcium retention, increases the mineralization of bone (Vestergaard and Mosekilde), increases muscle mass, induces protein synthesis and growth of many different organ systems of the body, resulting in a positive nitrogen balance. Growth hormone also plays a role in metabolic homeostasis (Jorgensen et al
In older subjects, regular exercise has the potential to improve overall fitness and quality of life and is also associated to decreased morbidity and increased longevity. Similar effects are seen following GH therapy in adult deficiency (Lanfranco et al
Additionally, the increased mass of the pituitary tumor itself can cause symptoms. Acromegaly incidence is estimated to be 3-4 cases per million population per year (Orme et al
However, these types of GH did not function as well in humans, due to greater variation of molecular structure compared to human GH. In 1958, Maurice Raben purified enough GH from human pituitary glands to successfully treat a GH-deficient boy (Raben)
Finally, GH has been taken by athletes to increase muscular strength. However, the magnitudes of both benefits and risks remain unestablished (Stacy, Terrell and Armsey)
In addition to height growth in childhood, GH serves many other metabolic functions. Growth hormone increases calcium retention, increases the mineralization of bone (Vestergaard and Mosekilde), increases muscle mass, induces protein synthesis and growth of many different organ systems of the body, resulting in a positive nitrogen balance
This has also meant that thousands of patients are treated with this hormone throughout the world. (Hintz, 2004) Among the many uses of human growth hormone is the common application of this hormone in children with growth deficiency or as well as in individuals who show poor growth as a result of renal failure
.showed that short children with no growth hormone deficiency could be made a few centimeters taller if they were given human growth hormone" (Konner, 1999, p