Growth hormone stimulation test

Alternative names:

arginine test

Normal values:

The arginine infusion should raise the hGH level by the following amount in the different populations:

• children: 48 ng/ml
• men: 10 ng/ml
• women: 15 ng/ml

Note: ng/ml = nanogram per milliliter

What abnormal results mean:

Failure of the arginine infusion to raise hGH indicates there is a diminished amount of hGH in the anterior pituitary where is it stored. In children, this results in dwarfism; in adults, it may be associated with panhypopituitarism.

About 10 to 15% of people with normal functioning pituitaries may fail to respond on the first test. If hGH fails to reach 10 ng/ml during the test, then the test should be repeated at the same time on another day or tested with other stimuli.