Grow Big and Strong! By Lauren Kullmann

Understanding growth hormone GH is also called Somatotropin It is secreted from the Pituitary Gland which is located in the brain It is a peptide hormone It regulates the growth of the muscles, bones, glands and cell reproduction GH helps to maintain blood glucose in a normal range (homeostasis) Growth hormone secretagogues (GHSs) stimulate GH secretion and food intake

Too much? Too little? A hypo-secretion of GH is called GHD and can result in growth failure and short stature A hyper-secretion of GH can cause a pituitary tumor and excessive thickness of bones, as well as gigantism and acromegaly

Analogy Growth Hormone is like watering a plant and giving it fertilizer, the plant cannot grow without water, just like a person does not grow without enough GH. The fertilizer is like a steroid that makes the plant grow like GH makes the person. The water allows the plant to grow and helps it to thrive. If the plant does not receive enough water, it does not grow properly, same as if the plant receives too much water.

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