What happens in the body when it doesn't have enough growth hormone?
If the deficiency occurs during infancy, childhood or adolescence, then that individual will not grow to the height at which he or she would have grown under normal circumstances. If, however, growth hormone deficiency occurs after the individual has completed his or her growth, then that individual will usually present with obesity, fat around the abdominal area, high lipid levels in the blood, low energy, decreased muscle mass and a general feeling of depression and isolation.
What happens if the body produces too much growth hormone?
If there is excess growth hormone prior to the end of the normal growth phase, then the individual will, in fact, continue to grow. So individuals who are seven feet tall or taller may have had excess growth hormone during their growth phase, which resulted in their long bones continuing to grow.
If there is excess growth hormone after the growth phase has ended, then bony overgrowth in the face, jaws, and skulls can occur. For example, patients will complain of increasing ring size or increasing shoe size, due to growth of those bones in the feet or in the fingers or, in fact, due to accumulation of water in the soft tissues. These are features of a condition we call "acromegaly," where there is generalized body overgrowth rather than increase in height.
