Do some adults need HGH treatment?

Adults who have a growth hormone deficiency — not the expected decline in growth hormone due to aging — might be prescribed synthetic HGH by their health care provider.

Growth hormone deficiency is usually caused by a benign tumor on the pituitary gland (pituitary adenoma) or by treatment of an adenoma with surgery or radiotherapy.

For adults who have a growth hormone deficiency, injections of HGH can:

• Increase exercise capacity
• Increase bone density
• Increase muscle mass
• Decrease body fat

HGH treatment is also approved to treat adults with AIDS- or HIV-related growth hormone deficiency that causes irregular distribution of body fat.