HGH Blood Test

The mere sight or thought of blood freaks a lot of people out. But when it comes to knowing how on or off your HGH levels are, there is no other way to find out except through an HGH blood test. It might be a little uncomfortable for you, but it will be very rewarding if you can get past the initial fear.

And in case you were on the fence, there are several telltale signs that your HGH levels are not up to par. First and foremost, you need to pay attention to how you feel during the day. If you are flat and have very little energy, it could mean that your levels are off and you might want to get a growth hormone test done.

If you’ve noticed declining strength and a loss of muscle mass, you could have low HGH levels. If you compare your sex drive to where it was 5, 10 or more years ago and realize that it’s nearly nonexistent these days, it could be a sign that your HGH levels are off. Lastly, if you are having trouble sleeping and notice that you’ve become really moody, your growth hormone levels can be off and you might want to get your HGH blood test levels checked.

Be aware of something though. Your natural levels of HGH do not just fall off in one night. It takes months and even years of slow decline for it to even be noticed.

And when it does and you have reached a point of frustration that you cannot take it anymore, you are best advised to seek testing for growth hormone deficiency in adults. Now let’s expand on what this all entails.

What are growth hormone blood tests?

First of all, growth hormone leads the pack in the cocktail of hormones that you have flowing through your body. And it doesn’t matter who you identify as. It still carries the same weight across the boards.

The main function of human growth hormone (HGH) is to promote growth. When you are a child, you grow quickly and without a hitch. Unless you have an issue with your pituitary gland, which is where HGH is released.

What is a growth hormone stimulation test?

A growth hormone stimulation test is a medical procedure in which human growth hormone is injected into the body to stimulate growth. The growth hormone stimulations are usually given to children who are growth hormone deficient, which can cause Dwarfism. Growth hormone stimulations can also be given to adults who are growth hormone deficient, which can cause other health problems such as osteoporosis. Growth hormone stimulations can also be given to people who want to increase their muscle mass or improve their athletic performance.

Once you are done physically growing and your height has stopped, HGH takes on various other roles. It is needed for muscle gain and maintenance, sex drive, energy, mental acuity, skin health, bone strength, metabolism and mood regulation.

As you get older, like 40-plus, your body does not release HGH as much and you start to see side effects like lack of energy and sex drive, sagging skin, wrinkles, weaker bones and muscles, and even problems seeing.

An HGH blood test is then administered to see how off your levels are. HGH blood test results are then looked at by your primary care physician and he will decide if you need to do HGH therapy.

What is the HGH blood test used for?

There is an obvious and not-so-obvious answer to this question. Obviously, an HGH blood test protocol is used to see if you have normal growth hormone levels by age. If it is determined that your levels are low, you will then go into a treatment process that will likely involve injections to get your levels back in the normal range.

The not-so-obvious reason revolves around sports. If you happen to be competitive athlete in a league or organization where there are strict standards on what you can and cannot put in your body, you are subject to testing.

An HGH blood test bodybuilding protocol is not uncommon with dudes who look too good to be true. In cases like this, random tests might be done. Additionally, pro athletes who play any type of sport could be tested at any given moment if something about their body and performance looks sketchy.

Why do I need a growth hormone test?

The main reason you might want a growth hormone test is because you just plain old feel like crap and you’re sick of it. Secondly, you might want to excel at a sport or type of activity that you used to love but don’t have the energy or passion for anymore.

Also, if you ARE the person who plays a sport, the overseeing body of it might make it mandatory to get tested on a regular basis. In cases like that, you have no choice. Either you comply or you’re forced to walk away.

What are the normal growth hormone
levels by age?

There is a sliding scale when it comes to HGH levels and age. And as your age goes up, sadly your levels go down. That can take a major toll on your happiness too, which makes getting growth hormone blood test results even more important.

As for normal growth hormone levels based on age goes, here is a breakdown. For adult males, the average is .4 to 10 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). In female adults, the range is 1 to 14 ng/mL, and for children it’s 10 to 50 ng/mL.

Do you spy something interesting about these numbers? One might be led to believe that women do not produce as much HGH as men. However, you can clearly see that this isn’t the case.

HGH is critically important to balance out estrogen and other key hormones that make women tick. The decline of HGH is actually one of the main factors involved with menopause.

Once levels start to go down, it creates an imbalance that leads to symptoms like dry skin, irregular periods, tenderness in the breasts, mood swings, irregular heart rate, and hot and cold flashes.

A growth hormone blood test normal range reading is the ultimate goal here. A few months of dedicated treatment can make this a reality.

How to test for growth hormone
deficiency in child?

Children are the least susceptible to have a growth hormone deficiency. However, there are still plenty of kids who can benefit from treatment due to low levels. And at that young of an age, when presented with the idea of getting HGH therapy, they will probably be asking “what is an HGH blood test” before they even get to that spot.

The method involved with the actual test is a bit different than with adults. Although they are young, the doctor will still want to know what their past health history is. He’ll ask if any illnesses run in the family, have they had any major health issues, have they had any accidents and so on.

There are two main reasons for growth hormone deficiency in children – congenital and acquired. Congenital means they were born with it and acquired occurs after birth.

According to the Boston Children’s Hospital, a brain tumor, head trauma, radiation therapy, diseases that attack the hypothalamus and gene mutations can all cause growth hormone deficiency in children.

There is also a specific protocol involved with testing children. After the background evaluation is done, growth is then tracked over a specific period of time. A review of the mother’s delivery of the child is then looked into. What they’re looking for is anything that might’ve made the pregnancy or delivery difficult.

Next, a small amount of blood is taken and then analyzed. This sample is used to not only look for low HGH levels, but to see if there is indication of other diseases too.

From there an x-ray of the left wrist is taken. This is used as a comparison in growth and bone development with kids that are in the same age bracket.

Lastly, the HGH blood test results are assessed and the appropriate treatment strategy is deployed.

What happens during a growth hormone
blood test?

You already know what happens when a child goes through an HGH blood test protocol. For adults, it’s a little different. Either they come to a clinic or a phlebotomist is sent to their house.

They are then sat down in a comfortable position and told to relax. Once they are good and calm, the practitioner will expose their arm by rolling up their sleeve. They will then secure an elastic band around the area above where the draw is going to take place. This is to get the veins of the arm to plump up. It also makes the veins easier to locate.

Growth Hormone Tests

A growth hormone suppression test is a blood test that measures the levels of growth hormone in the blood. This test is used to evaluate normal and aberrant growth, and to assess the levels of growth hormone secretion. A blood sample is taken from a vein in the arm, and the levels of growth hormone are measured. The results of this test can help to diagnose disorders of growth hormone production and to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.

Alcohol is swabbed across an area on the arm by the elbow and a syringe is then inserted into the appropriate vein. Blood is drawn and placed into a vial. A ball of cotton and bandage are then placed on the area of the injection and the patient is free to go.

The sample will then be shipped off to the lab and the HGH blood test levels will be reported back once they are done.

Will I need to do anything to prepare
for this test?

There are a few things to take into consideration before getting an HGH test. On the day before, you should follow a balanced diet that is free of fatty, processed foods, and high amounts of caffeine and sugar.

Secondly, it is usually required to come into the test in a fasted state. It doesn’t have to be anything extensive though. The rule of thumb is to simply not eat anything from midnight the night before up until the time of your test.

Are there any risks to HGH blood tests?

As far as the test itself goes, there really aren’t any major risks involved. But there are some precautions you should take into consideration. First of all, if you are squeamish and do not like the site of your own blood, you need to make mental preparations. You might want to look the other direction when the draw is taking place.

Secondly, there IS an actual needle being injected into your arm. Some joke it off and act like it’s no big deal. They’ll say, “Ahh, it’s nothin. It just feels like a bee sting.” Well, bee stings can hurt like an SOB. So, if you have a low tolerance to pain, you could be looking at a complication there.

Lastly, once the blood test is done, you can feel some irritation around the injection site. If you have sensitive skin or have never gotten a blood test, there can be a ball of swelling in this location. That is your vein being inflamed. There is nothing to worry about though because it will come back down to normal in about 24 hours.

Overall, the risks are relatively minor. You shouldn’t let any of them hold you back from getting tested.

What do HGH blood test results mean?

The end goal with getting an HGH blood test is to find out how off your HGH levels are. Once the results are in, you will know exactly where you stand and your doctor will then prescribe a treatment plan.

In addition, a test can reveal other things too like your testosterone levels, vitamin D levels, blood sugar and cholesterol. If any of those are off, then the test can also mean that you need medical intervention to get yourself back in balance.

What might affect my growth hormone
blood test results?

If you remember from above, there is a certain set of steps that you need to follow before getting a test. First of all, what you eat and drink beforehand can have an affect on the results.

You should specifically avoid high-sugar and high caffeine foods and beverages a day before the test. So you’re going to want to avoid stuff like cakes, cookies, soda, coffee, energy drinks and white bread.

In addition, you should avoid the intake of fatty foods that are highly processed like deep-fried onion rings, French fries, sausage and deep-fried Oreos.
All of these things can have an unfavorable effect on your HGH reading. You want to get as accurate of a reading as possible.

Lastly, you should fast from midnight the day before the test until you take the actual test. And speaking of fasting, by itself it can help boost your HGH levels. Especially once you get past 12 hours. Overall, all of these things can affect your HGH test results.

How much does a growth hormone
blood test cost for children?

Growth hormone blood test cost can be a dealbreaker when it comes to deciding on whether to get one done or not. But that can change when it comes to your children. It’s safe to say that most parents will go through any extremes to make sure their kid is able to have optimal health.

If you are one of those parents, it is favorable if you have insurance and your kids are covered. In this case, the amount you will pay is going to be less than out of pocket. Depending on how good your insurance company is, you could have just a small co-pay to take care of.

On average though, you’re looking at about $70 to $80. If you do have insurance, it is going to be less. But the exact amount is hard to forecast. Again, it depends on the insurance company you deal with.

How much is testing for growth hormone
deficiency in adults cost?

This is a pretty loaded question. On one hand you have the actual cost of a test for growth hormone. That has already been established. It’s the same price as it is for kids, which is about $70. But it still depends on what your insurance carrier provides you with. It could be cheaper if you have less copay to take care of.

The second part of this is the mental cost involved with NOT getting it done. If you continue to let yourself decline, it will come at a major cost to your overall mental health, as well as physical. You then need to ask yourself, is a growth hormone blood test cost worth having optimal health?

That should be a pretty resounding YES! If you do in fact get a blood test and you are deficient, you will know for sure that it’s a good idea to seek treatment. Then, when you do, you will be able to get your energy and vitality back.
This will enable you to perform better at work, so you can make up for any costs that your insurance company might not cover.

Plus, think about how good you will look and feel. If nothing else, use that as a key motivator to get a blood test and therapy afterward.

Final Word on HGH Blood Test

Hopefully you now have a better understanding of a blood test for HGH. It is always in your best interest to come to HGH Vallarta to get your health needs taken care of in regards to growth hormone. The procedure is and fast and easy, and if you are deficient, you’ll leave here with everything you need to get back in balance.

You can also save money by coming to us and everything we do is completely legal. Taking the guesswork out of your health journey is something you should always take into consideration. And your health itself should be your primary concern.