Skip to main content

Growth Hormone Decline

Meaning

Growth hormone decline, clinically termed somatopause, describes the natural, progressive reduction in the pulsatile secretion of Growth Hormone (GH) from the anterior pituitary gland that occurs with advancing age. This reduction leads to lower circulating levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), impacting tissue maintenance, body composition, and metabolic function. The decline is a key endocrinological feature of aging and contributes to sarcopenia and changes in fat distribution.