Hormones
Growth Hormone (GH)
Hormones
Growth hormone orchestrates everything from muscle building and fat burning to cell regeneration. It peaks while you sleep and declines with every passing decade.
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Growth hormone (GH) is one of those hormones that sounds like it's only for kids. It's not. While GH is obviously critical for childhood growth, it continues to regulate muscle development, cell regeneration, fat metabolism, and tissue repair throughout your entire life. Most of its heavy lifting happens through IGF-1, produced in the liver. Together, they're your body's built-in maintenance crew.
Testing GH alongside IGF-1 gives a comprehensive view of your growth hormone axis. It's especially relevant for growth disorders in children, suspected hormonal imbalance in adults affecting muscle, fat, energy, and bone density, monitoring GH therapy, and anyone investigating age-related decline in recovery and body composition.
What a high value can mean
Elevated GH may suggest acromegaly (a rare pituitary tumour in adults causing abnormal tissue growth), gigantism in children, or GH therapy overdose. Signs include enlarged hands, feet, or facial features, joint pain, headaches, vision problems, excessive sweating, sleep issues, and increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
What a low value can mean
Low GH can indicate growth hormone deficiency from pituitary dysfunction, normal ageing, poor liver function, chronic illness, or malnutrition. Expect fatigue, muscle loss, increased belly fat, weaker bones, mood changes, poor focus, and — in children — delayed growth.
Bring valid ID.
Order your test
Choose your test and pay online. Your lab referral is created straight away.
Give your sample
Visit any of our partner sampling locations. No appointment needed at most of them.
The lab analyses it
Your sample is analysed at an accredited Swedish laboratory.
Get your results
Your values appear in your account with reference ranges and an explanation of each marker.
GH is released in pulses and bounces around all day — single measurements aren't very useful. IGF-1 is stable and gives a better overall picture. Testing both together provides the most complete assessment.
Yes. GH secretion naturally drops with age, contributing to shifts in body composition, energy, and recovery capacity. It's sometimes called somatopause.
GH therapy is well-established for diagnosed GH deficiency and is monitored through regular blood tests including IGF-1. It should only be used under medical supervision.