Human growth hormone is an essential chemical compound that is secreted by the pituitary gland, an important organ located in the brain that is responsible for much of the body’s development. However, like all things, having too much or too little growth hormone in the body can lead to potential problems. Furthermore, some people inject themselves with human growth hormone to help them excel at sports or other physical activities. Side effects are also common in those instances. Here is a quick rundown of some common human growth hormone side effects that stem from having too much or too little of this important chemical in your bloodstream.

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Joint Pain – Swelling or inflammation of the joints is a common side effect stemming from too much growth hormone because extra stress is put on the joints due to the increased growth of tissue. This side effect is similar to gaining weight quickly which in turns causes joints to become inflamed or overworked. Furthermore, artificial consumption of growth hormone can disintegrate the cartilage and cause the ligaments and tendons that hold joints into place to thicken, reducing their elasticity and range of motion.

Abnormal Extremity Thickness – Mainly a symptom from a natural excess of growth hormone due to tumor growth on the pituitary gland, fingers, toes, arms and legs can grow to abnormal thickness. While this can occur through artificial consumption of growth hormone, this symptom can render these appendages inoperable due to their ballooning size.

Emotional Imbalance – Mainly a symptom of consuming growth hormone, the sudden influx of HGH can cause increased levels of aggression, hostility, depression and thoughts of suicide.

Sexual Dysfunction – Growth hormone is essential for sexual development but having too much can produce the opposite effect. Consuming growth hormone can lead to reduced sexual functioning, especially in men, and cause the testes to shrink and to produce poor erectile dysfunction. In women this symptom is usually lessened but can lead to reduced sexual drive.

Too Little

Stunted Growth – Producing too little growth hormone often leads to truncated physical development. This can mean limbs that are small in size or reduced in functional capability. Arms and legs may be reduced in length. Fingers and toes may be vestigial. Vertical height will often be stunted and may lead to heights bordering on dwarfism.

Reduced Muscle Mass – Lacking growth hormone often leads to greatly reduced muscle mass as growth hormone is one of the leading drivers behind muscle tissue formation. This can lead to weakness and an ability to lift certain objects. Physical activity may also be curtailed as the body is incapable of engaging in certain activities, leading to possible obesity problems.

Sexual Impotence – Human growth hormone side effects from not having enough in your system can also affect sexual functioning.  Growth hormone, as mentioned before, is mainly responsible for sexual development. Lacking this essential hormone can cause improper sexual development and lead to a person to fail to achieve sexual maturity. The testes are most often affected in men, leading to them being undersized and incapable of producing sperm in adequate amounts.