Human growth hormone (HGH), also known as somatotropin, is a 191-amino acid single-chain polypeptide produced by somatotropic cells within the anterior pituitary gland. As its name implies, scientists originally found that it is responsible for growth regulation during childhood. However, research has shown that HGH also regulates many of the body’s basal metabolic functions and acts as an acute-phase stress reactant.
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