Growth Hormone (GH)
The pituitary hormone behind growth and metabolism, central to evaluating acromegaly and growth hormone deficiency.
Consider this test if:
- Workup for acromegaly: enlarging hands or feet, coarsening facial features, joint pain, or new dental spacing
- Investigating short stature or growth failure in a child
- Evaluating known or suspected pituitary disease or hypopituitarism
- Monitoring treatment of GH excess after surgery, radiation, or medication
- Following up an abnormal IGF-1 with confirmatory hormone testing
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Typical results in around 4 days · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
Draw on a fasting sample after resting quietly for at least 30 minutes, since exercise, food, stress, and recent sleep all shift GH levels. Because secretion is pulsatile, a single random number often needs to be paired with a stimulation or oral glucose suppression test for a clear answer. Note any growth hormone therapy or somatostatin analogues, as treatment changes the result.
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What this test is for
Growth hormone (GH) is secreted in pulses from the anterior pituitary and drives skeletal growth in childhood while influencing fat breakdown and glucose handling throughout life. Because secretion is episodic and spikes with exercise, deep sleep, and falling glucose, a single random value is hard to interpret on its own and is usually confirmed with dynamic testing: stimulation testing for suspected deficiency, and an oral glucose suppression test for suspected excess. Persistently high GH points toward acromegaly in adults (progressive thickening of bone and soft tissue, enlarging hands, feet, and facial features) or gigantism in children, most often from a pituitary adenoma. Low or unresponsive GH supports growth hormone deficiency, a cause of short stature in children and part of the workup for hypopituitarism in adults. For initial screening, IGF-1 is often the more practical marker because it reflects average GH activity rather than a momentary pulse.
What to expect
- 1 Book instantly
Click, book, done. Choose a convenient lab location near you. Transparent, up-front pricing.
- 2 Quick lab visit
Testing to fit your busy schedule, usually 15 minutes or less. Walk-in and appointments available.
- 3 Typical results in around 4 days
Your results post straight to your dashboard as soon as the lab completes them.
- 4 Expert guidance
Included with Mito membership. A clinician reviews your results and your personalized action plan follows, with clear next steps.
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Every test at our cost
Members pay our cost on every test, with lab fees passed straight through. The full receipt is itemized, never padded.
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Upload past labs and watch your trends over time. Every marker and visit lives in one longitudinal record, so all your care stays together.
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Year-round clinician support
Text anytime and get clinician-reviewed answers. When you want to go deeper, 1:1 consultations are available at affordable rates.
All for $9/month
Order any test or consult without joining. For $9/month, members unlock member prices, trend tracking, and year-round clinician guidance.
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Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsHow does pricing work?
Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost — covering the lab and what it takes to run the service — never a profit on the test itself; Mito makes its money on the $9 membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9/mo, and you still pay the lab’s order fee. Prices are itemized before you pay, with no hidden fees.
Where do I get tested?
Choose a partner lab (Quest, Labcorp, or BioReference) at checkout. If your cart spans multiple tests, we consolidate the whole order onto a single lab so you only make one visit.
Is this eligible for HSA/FSA?
Yes. This test is HSA/FSA eligible, and you can pay with your HSA/FSA card at checkout.
When will I get my results?
Your results post to your dashboard once your lab completes them, then a clinician reviews them and your full analysis and personalized action plan (with clear next steps) follow. Turnaround varies by test: specialty assays and at-home kits take longer, and each test shows its expected turnaround before you buy.
Do I need a doctor’s order?
No. Mito provides the lab order for you, so you can book and get tested without a separate doctor visit.
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