Just the words human growth hormone (or HGH) tell of the importance of this agent to the development of the body from infancy to adulthood. Generated from the pituitary gland, and acting as a messenger from brain to blood to cells, HGH adds height and heft to a person until it converts to a maintenance chemical, sustaining a viable structure and metabolism.
Each stage of life has sufficient HGH levels to perform these tasks. Children have a range of 10 to 50 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood; this declines to .4 to 10 ng/mL in adult males and one to 14 ng/mL in adult females.
These averages notwithstanding, some individuals experience low levels of HGH. Growth hormone deficiency sometimes results in dwarfism — a condition when normal height fails to materialize. Sometimes, hair, nails and teeth fail to mature normally, and some sufferers exhibit a child-like appearance in the face.
Meanwhile, delayed puberty, hypoglycemia and undeveloped genitalia are possibilities as well. In adults, depression, obesity, insulin resistance and poor muscle tone can all result from growth hormone deficiency. That patients inquire about HGH supplementation is no surprise since these conditions severely impair quality of life.
Expectations vs. Realities
Cost Considerations
Supplemental growth hormone is thought of as an expensive luxury. Those who suspect they might benefit from HGH injections often dismiss this therapy as cost-prohibitive.
In fact, that need not be the case. Yes, there are as many policies relative to HGH therapy costs as there are insurance providers. Some may practice this treatment generously, while others may be more strict.
Still, others will consider coverage on a case-by-case basis, recognizing that some effects of deficiency are more hazardous than others.
Over the past two decades, the overall spending on HGH supplementation dropped by over 25 percent, while the share of insurance coverage for those same procedures decreased by nearly the same amount.
Meanwhile, patient financial responsibility for treatment climbed 161 percent. Consequently, fear of costs is not based on fantasy.
At the same time, there are strategies that, when employed, can reduce patient out-of-pocket burdens significantly. One major reason for intransigent insurance companies is the many and varied HGH brands and delivery mechanisms. Thus, insurers start mandating a particular brand and specific device — all others are denied coverage.
Of course, complying with such rules improves the likelihood of payment approval. So does the old stand-by: the doctor’s note. Here, urgency can turn the tide of provider inertia. Fairly or unfairly, A child who is under-height is a matter of concern; an older man who wants more energy, less so, depending on the circumstances.
Kiplinger Personal Finance advises the following:
- Get a read on what your policy does and does not cover when it is activated.
- Understand deductibles and out-of-pocket contributions at the outset, as well.
- Always examine the door bill with the insurer’s explanation of benefits. Sometimes, the physician’s office will label a procedure with a name not recognized by the policy provider.
- Be proactive as an intermediary between doctor and insurance company. The office manager might be submitting incorrect or out-of-date codes, thus prompting claim denial.
These do not always result in paying less, but they can eliminate unpleasant surprises. Of course, costs vary depending on the duration of treatments and the means, i.e., injections vs. oral supplementation.
The hormones themselves represent the largest portion of outlays. Injections, for example, can range between $400 and $1,200, depending on the manufacturer. So, asking the physician to use the lower-priced hormones can keep costs down.
Waiting Is the Hardest Part
Receiving hormone replacement or supplementation is not like getting a B-2 shot. Results come over time, with each administration adding incrementally to the last. Depending on the dose size, says the Harvard Medical School, that treatment can be done in two weeks or require a year for completion — and all the time lengths in between — when it comes to healthy adults.
Still, even though the full round of treatment is prescribed for a certain period, the effects can come sooner for patients. The fact is that treatment goals and patient health are factors in the time it takes for HGH therapy to succeed.
Risks and Side-Effects
Medicine is just as much art as science. As different as each patient is, HGH therapy results can vary — and some suffer from this medical regimen.
Serious medical consequences afflict those who receive synthetic HGH when their levels do not warrant it. These include diabetes, heart disease and liver dysfunction. Absent that unwise scenario, however, there are side-effects more common to those who receive therapy legitimately:
- Impaired vision
- decrease in skin sensation
- dizziness
- neuropathy
- headaches
- ear infection
- anxiety
- irregular heartbeat
- vomiting
- joint pain
- rash
Find the Balance
Know Your Power
HGH therapies have well-established track records but prospective patients should never enter into them lightly. Homework is essential and research about cost, intensity, duration and undesired reactions help patients to make sound medical decisions.
A Holistic Approach to Health
Important to remember is that experienced physicians counsel HGH therapy in conjunction with positive health habits like a nutritious diet, optimal exercise and meditation, for example. While hormone replacement is often a powerful remedy, you are more than the sum of your hormones.
