2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The pituitary gland is a small oval body that is located at the base of the skull and is connected to the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland is oval in shape and 8-10 mm long. In men it weighs an average of 0.6 g, and in women during pregnancy it increases, after which it does not return to its original weight, so in women who have given birth it can weigh more than 1 year.
The pituitary gland is divided into two main parts - the neurohypophysis and the adenohypophysis. Somatotropin is a hormone that is secreted by the second part of the pituitary gland. Somatotropin is a growth hormone that is a major participant and regulator of body growth and metabolism. Its name comes from the Greek and means body growth.
Normal height, weak legs and flat stomach are the result of normal levels of somatotropin. Therefore, it is very important for the pituitary gland to function properly in order to be able to secrete somatotropin. To help with this process, everyone should eat a healthy and balanced diet, and the latest meal should be by 7 pm. The pituitary gland loves foods such as dairy products, grapes, apricots, grapefruit, avocados and peaches.
Action of somatotropin
The main role of somatotropin as growth hormone is accordingly to stimulate the growth of the body. It also plays a key role in the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins.
In terms of protein metabolism, it is involved in the absorption of acids and at the same time in the construction of proteins. In terms of lipid metabolism, it promotes the absorption of fats and stimulates the breakdown of triglycerides. For carbohydrate metabolism, it is one of the substances that maintains normal blood glucose levels. At the same time it suppresses insulin.
Somatotropin deficiency
The deficit or surplus of somatotropin leads to disease states and defects that show how important the role of this hormone actually is. Somatotropin deficiency manifests itself with growth retardation or dwarfism - dwarf growth. The manifestation of this deficiency can be acquired or hereditary and depends on the age at which it occurs.
Growth hormone deficient children do not grow normally and are shorter than their peers. They are obese, have a squeaky voice and a baby-like face. Boys have a small penis and scrotum, suffer from delayed puberty. Deficiency of this hormone is a rare condition and is estimated to affect 60 children per 1 million population.
The emergence of a deficit of somatotropin in adulthood is associated with serious medical conditions such as pituitary tumor or brain tumor, as well as trauma. This deficit is also very rare. Elderly people who suffer from growth hormone deficiency suffer from overweight, depression and fear neuroses, weakness and easy fatigue, changes in the bones that increase the risk of fractures and fractures.
Another aspect of somatotropin problems is its oversecretion. It is due to various factors, and the result is two disease states - acromegaly and gigantism.
Acromegaly results from excessive somatotropin secretion in adulthood. There is enlargement of the limbs, nose, lips, tongue and ears, heart disorders. A number of metabolic disorders occur.
Gigantism is the result of oversecretion of somatotropin in childhood or adolescence. It is often the result of a tumor in the area of somatotropic cells. It is characterized by growing to gigantic stature, hence the name. Often sick children are 2 meters or more tall.
Somatotropin intake
Somatotropin can be taken in the form of a sports supplement, which increases muscle mass. It acts on specific cells in the muscles, thanks to which muscle mass increases. At the same time, somatotropin helps burn excess fat. These are two very good reasons that make growth hormone extremely sought after in bodybuilding.
In addition to the above reasons, the intake of growth hormone is associated with beneficial effects of wrinkle disappearance, stimulating immunity, skin healing, improving sleep and quality of sex life, improving mental processes and lowering blood pressure, preventing osteoporosis, balance of lipoproteins in the blood.
Despite all the above effects, the intake of somatotropin can cause hypertrophy of the kidneys and heart, as well as other unwanted health problems.
