BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuGrowth hormone suppression testGH suppression test; Glucose loading test; Acromegaly - blood test; Gigantism - blood testThe growth hormone suppression test determines whether growth hormone (GH) production can be suppressed by taking a specific amount of glucose (called a glucose load). How the Test is Performed At least three blood samples are taken.Blood samplesVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The test is done in the following way:The first blood sample is collected between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. before you eat or drink anything. You then drink a solution containing glucose (sugar). You may be told to drink slowly to avoid becoming nauseated. But you must drink the solution within 5 minutes to ensure the test result is accurate. The next blood samples are usually collected for 1 to 2 hours after you finish drinking the glucose solution. Sometimes they are taken every 30 or 60 minutes. Each sample is sent to the laboratory right away. The lab measures the glucose and GH levels in each sample. How to Prepare for the Test Do not eat anything and limit physical activity for 10 to 12 hours before the test.You may also be told to stop taking medicines that can affect the test results. These medicines include glucocorticoids such as prednisone, hydrocortisone, or dexamethasone. Check with your health care provider before stopping any medicines.You will be asked to relax for at least 90 minutes before the test. This is because exercise or increased activity can change GH levels.If your child is to have this test done, it may be helpful to explain how the test will feel and even demonstrate on a doll. The more familiar your child is with what will happen and why, the less anxiety the child will feel. How the Test will Feel When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or slight bruising. This soon goes away. Why the Test is Performed This test checks to see if a high level of GH can be suppressed by taking a glucose load. If it cannot, this may lead to gigantism in children and acromegaly in adults. It is not used as a routine screening test. This test is only done if you show signs of increased GH.GigantismGigantism is abnormal growth due to an excess of growth hormone (GH) during childhood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article AcromegalyAcromegaly is a condition in which there is too much growth hormone (GH) in your body.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Normal Results Normal test results show a GH level of less than 1 ng/mL. In children, GH level may be increased due to reactive hypoglycemia.HypoglycemiaLow blood sugar is a condition that occurs when the body's blood sugar (glucose) decreases and is too low. Blood sugar below 70 mg/dL (3. 9 mmol/L) i...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean If the GH level is not changed and stays high during the suppression test, your provider will suspect gigantism or acromegaly. You may need to be retested to confirm the test results. Risks There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.Risks of having blood drawn are slight, but may include:Excessive bleeding Multiple punctures to locate veins Fainting or feeling lightheaded Blood accumulating under the skin (hematoma) HematomaBleeding into the skin can occur from broken blood vessels that form tiny red dots (called petechiae). Blood also can collect under the tissue in la...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)Open ReferencesReferencesKaiser U, Ho K. Pituitary physiology and diagnostic evaluation. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 8.Melmed S. Acromegaly. In: Robertson RP, ed. DeGroot's Endocrinology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 6.AllVideoImagesTogBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationA Closer Look Prostate cancer - InDepth(In-Depth)Peptic ulcers - InDepth(In-Depth)Infertility in women - InDepth(In-Depth)Melatonin(Alt. Medicine)Non-small cell lung cancer - InDepth(In-Depth)Rheumatoid arthritis - InDepth(In-Depth) Tests for Growth hormone suppression test Growth hormone suppression testGrowth hormone testCortisol blood testHormone levelsCortisol urine testRelated Information Blood sugar test(Medical Test)Gigantism(Condition)Acromegaly(Condition) Review Date: 11/6/2023 Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Growth hormone suppression testGH suppression test; Glucose loading test; Acromegaly - blood test; Gigantism - blood testThe growth hormone suppression test determines whether growth hormone (GH) production can be suppressed by taking a specific amount of glucose (called a glucose load). How the Test is Performed At least three blood samples are taken.Blood samplesVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The test is done in the following way:The first blood sample is collected between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. before you eat or drink anything. You then drink a solution containing glucose (sugar). You may be told to drink slowly to avoid becoming nauseated. But you must drink the solution within 5 minutes to ensure the test result is accurate. The next blood samples are usually collected for 1 to 2 hours after you finish drinking the glucose solution. Sometimes they are taken every 30 or 60 minutes. Each sample is sent to the laboratory right away. The lab measures the glucose and GH levels in each sample. How to Prepare for the Test Do not eat anything and limit physical activity for 10 to 12 hours before the test.You may also be told to stop taking medicines that can affect the test results. These medicines include glucocorticoids such as prednisone, hydrocortisone, or dexamethasone. Check with your health care provider before stopping any medicines.You will be asked to relax for at least 90 minutes before the test. This is because exercise or increased activity can change GH levels.If your child is to have this test done, it may be helpful to explain how the test will feel and even demonstrate on a doll. The more familiar your child is with what will happen and why, the less anxiety the child will feel. How the Test will Feel When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or slight bruising. This soon goes away. Why the Test is Performed This test checks to see if a high level of GH can be suppressed by taking a glucose load. If it cannot, this may lead to gigantism in children and acromegaly in adults. It is not used as a routine screening test. This test is only done if you show signs of increased GH.GigantismGigantism is abnormal growth due to an excess of growth hormone (GH) during childhood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article AcromegalyAcromegaly is a condition in which there is too much growth hormone (GH) in your body.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Normal Results Normal test results show a GH level of less than 1 ng/mL. In children, GH level may be increased due to reactive hypoglycemia.HypoglycemiaLow blood sugar is a condition that occurs when the body's blood sugar (glucose) decreases and is too low. Blood sugar below 70 mg/dL (3. 9 mmol/L) i...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean If the GH level is not changed and stays high during the suppression test, your provider will suspect gigantism or acromegaly. You may need to be retested to confirm the test results. Risks There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.Risks of having blood drawn are slight, but may include:Excessive bleeding Multiple punctures to locate veins Fainting or feeling lightheaded Blood accumulating under the skin (hematoma) HematomaBleeding into the skin can occur from broken blood vessels that form tiny red dots (called petechiae). Blood also can collect under the tissue in la...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)Open ReferencesReferencesKaiser U, Ho K. Pituitary physiology and diagnostic evaluation. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 8.Melmed S. Acromegaly. In: Robertson RP, ed. DeGroot's Endocrinology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 6.