The Most Effective Hormone Replacement Therapies
We use an IGF-1 blood test to make a diagnosis of age-related growth hormone deficiency.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) is a naturally occurring protein that stimulates protein synthesis. It is sometimes also called somatomedin-C. Your growth hormone levels, and your IGF-1 levels are closely related. It is the presence of growth hormone that stimulates the production of IGF-1 by the liver. Therefore, if your IGF-1 level is low, it can be used as an accurate indicator of a growth hormone deficiency.
Your IGF-1 and your other growth hormone levels and factors all decrease as you age. The IGF-1 blood test can give clear indication of age-related growth hormone deficiency (GHD).
Making a proper diagnosis of age-related growth hormone deficiency starts with taking a complete medical history and then doing a physical exam. After that, if your doctor suspects that you might have a growth hormone deficiency, they will schedule a diagnostic blood test to determine the extent of growth hormone (GH) deficiency.
Our doctors prefer to use the IGF-1 binding protein level test.
There are other tests for GH deficiency which may include:
In addition to the IGF-1 blood test we use to diagnose GH deficiencies doctors may use several other tests to diagnose growth hormone deficiency. These include:
However, we find the IGF-1 blood test to be a simple and very effective way to detect age-related growth hormone deficiency.
To prepare for the IGF-1 growth hormone blood test:
Certain medicines can affect your growth hormone test results, such as corticosteroids and estrogen (including birth control pills). You may be asked to stop taking these medications prior to the IGF-1 test.
We work with the highest quality and most well-respected labs to do your GH blood testing. Generally, you should expect to pay about $90 for a typical IGF-1 protein binding blood test.
Watch your emails or check our website regularly for specials on GH blood testing!
Our doctors use the IGF-1 test to detect growth hormone deficiency. If your IGF-1 level comes back low and symptoms associated with GHD are also present, a diagnosis of GH deficiency will be provided.
Results of IGF-1 are given in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) and vary by age.
| Adult Males | Adult Females | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | ng/mL | Age | ng/mL |
| 18 years | 109-527 | 18 years | 114-493 |
| 19 years | 104-484 | 19 years | 105-441 |
| 20 years | 98-443 | 20 years | 97-398 |
| 21-25 years | 83-344 | 21-25 years | 84-323 |
| 26-30 years | 75-275 | 26-30 years | 77-271 |
| 31-35 years | 71-241 | 31-35 years | 73-244 |
| 36-40 years | 69-226 | 36-40 years | 68-225 |
| 41-45 years | 64-210 | 41-45 years | 62-205 |
| 46-50 years | 59-201 | 46-50 years | 56-194 |
| 51-55 years | 56-201 | 51-55 years | 53-191 |
| 56-60 years | 51-194 | 56-60 years | 45-173 |
| 61-65 years | 47-191 | 61-65 years | 41-168 |
| 66-70 years | 46-195 | 66-70 years | 39-168 |
| 71-75 years | 42-187 | 71-75 years | 36-166 |
| 76-80 years | 39-184 | 76-80 years | 35-168 |
| 80-85 years | 37-182 | 80-85 years | 35-179 |
| 85-90 years | 35-182 | 85-90 years | 33-179 |
Source: Mayo Medical Laboratories
IGF-1 and GH are intricately linked. It is very unlikely that you would be IGF-1 deficient, without also being growth hormone deficient. GHD is usually treated with growth hormone replacement therapy. However, depending on your symptoms some patients with GHD may be prescribed supplemental IGF-1 alone or in combination with GH injections.
Now that you know a little bit more about growth hormone blood tests, why not contact us and find out more about the many life-changing benefits of growth hormone therapy.
