What is the Origin of GH Replacement Therapy?

The origin lies in the isolation and eventual recombinant synthesis of Growth Hormone, which allowed for the clinical treatment of childhood growth failure and later, adult GHD. The understanding of Growth Hormone's critical role in adult metabolism, body composition, and bone density led to its application as a replacement therapy for those with pituitary or hypothalamic dysfunction resulting in documented deficiency. This marked a major advance in treating specific endocrine disorders.

What is the Mechanism of GH Replacement Therapy?

Administered GH binds to specific receptors on target cells, notably in the liver, stimulating the release of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 then acts as the primary mediator of Growth Hormone's anabolic and metabolic effects throughout the body. This signaling cascade promotes protein synthesis, facilitates lipolysis (fat breakdown), maintains muscle and bone mass, and influences carbohydrate metabolism, thereby restoring the systemic effects of a properly functioning somatotropic axis.

GH Replacement Therapy

Meaning

GH Replacement Therapy, or Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy, is a clinically administered treatment involving the subcutaneous injection of synthetic human growth hormone (somatropin) to address a documented deficiency in endogenous Growth Hormone secretion. This therapeutic intervention is primarily indicated for adults with confirmed Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) to restore normal physiological levels and mitigate associated symptoms like reduced lean body mass, altered body composition, and impaired quality of life. It is a precise endocrinological treatment requiring careful monitoring, not a general anti-aging intervention.