Acromegaly is the result of excess levels of the Human Growth Hormone or HGH, and is basically the reverse of having too little HGH circulating in the body. It’s not a common disorder, but for those afflicted with it, the consequences are lifelong, and life threatening, in some cases. Acromegaly is mainly a disorder of adulthood, while in children, the problem is described as “gigantism.”
Acromegaly comes from the Greek word “akros,” which means “extremities” and “megalos,” which means “large.” It probably came about from observation of the typically enlarged hands and feet of sufferers of this disorder, as well as some facial disfigurement due to swelling of soft tissues.
What is known about acromegaly is that it very often results from a benign tumor that develops in the pituitary gland. This type of tumor is called an adenoma, and is not dangerous in itself (which is why it is often undetected in milder cases), but for the fact that it causes the pituitary to secrete excessive growth hormone, leading to health problems.
Aggressive tumors also grow into the area of the brain, exerting pressure on brain tissue, and causing massive headaches and problems with vision. Why and how tumors develop in the pituitary in adults, is still largely unknown. Effective treatment of acromegaly rests upon early diagnosis and usually involves surgical removal of the tumors, or chemotherapy.
If left untreated, acromegaly may lead to premature death as a result of severe strain on the body’s systems and ability to cope with enlarged organs. Heart failure is a common cause of death in acromegaly.
Many of the giants in our culture, are likely to have acromegaly. They have to put up with discriminative “giant” or “ogre” nicknames throughout their life, as well as not having suitable seats/beds/clothing/ceilings/etc, that can accommodate them.
Famous people with acromegaly include Richard Kiel, Yao Ming, and WWE pro wrestler, Big Show. The Goliath of the Bible, could well have been someone afflicted with acromegaly or gigantism.
Being a result of excessive HGH, it is quite hard for people with low HGH levels (who form the majority), to comprehend the negative aspects of having such high growth hormone levels. After all, isn’t such elevated growth hormones a good thing? Or is it?
Too much of a good thing can be bad…
Acromegaly is one of the risks associated with HGH replacement injections, because too much growth hormone will result in acromegaly-like symptoms. It’s important to only undergo such a program with a really qualified doctor, who knows how to monitor and control the growth hormone levels in the bloodstream, and adjust your dosage accordingly.
