Facts

What is human growth hormone?

Growth hormone is a substance produced by a gland in the brain called the pituitary gland.  This gland is often called the master gland, because it controls many of the other glands in the body. It is about the size of a pea and it lies above the roof of the mouth, beneath the brain.

In particular, they act on a part of the bones called the growth plates, which is where bone growth occurs. Growth hormone and growth factors cause the cells in these growth plates to multiply, thus adding to the length of the bone, which in turn causes a child to grow taller.  In addition to making a child grow however, growth hormone also plays a vital metabolic role throughout adulthood.  It is important in the development and maintenance of muscles and organs, as well as helping to promote strong bones (bone mineral density).  It also helps regulate the body’s metabolism by burning fat, building muscle, and maintaining blood sugar levels.

Growth hormone is a protein and is made of 191 building blocks called amino acids.  It is also called somatotropin or somatropin which are the Greek words for body growth. It was first isolated and used in treatment in 1956, however the only source of growth hormone until the mid-1980s, was pituitary glands extracted from human cadavers.  This meant that it was often in short supply.

In the 1980’s, genetic engineering techniques (recombinant technology) were utilized to produce biosynthetic growth hormone.  Since 1985 Novo Nordisk have utilised these techniques to produce recombinant human growth hormone which is 100% identical to naturally produced growth hormone in humans.  Today, because of this recombinant technology, growth hormone is available in an amount which allows treatment of a wide range of illnesses in children.