HGH and HCG are similar abbreviations for human hormones; however this is where the similarities end. HGH, human growth hormone, is an essential hormone produced naturally in the pituitary gland and responsible for human growth. HCG, human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone produced during pregnancy by the cells of the placenta.
HGH Function
Human growth hormone has many functions within the body. It is most notably responsible for growth in reference to height because as the HGH circulates through the body and comes into contact with each cell and organ it stimulates them to get bigger.
HGH also stimulates an increase in muscle mass while reducing fat. It affects blood sugar levels and boosts the immune system. HGH helps the body to retain calcium and therefore strengthens bones.
HCG Function
HCG is commonly called the pregnancy hormone because the presence of hCG means there is a fetus present. Both home pregnancy tests and doctor's offices test for the presence of hCG when testing for pregnancy.
HCG functions to keep the corpus leutum, part of the follicle that released the egg, producing progesterone to help keep the pregnancy viable.
Peak HGH Levels
Because HGH is essential to growth, it reaches the highest levels during childhood when growth is rapid. There are a number of factors that help to stimulate HGH, including sleep, exercise, dietary protein and estradiol (another hormone). HGH levels change constantly throughout a day, reaching approximately eight peaks a day during puberty, according to Popular Endocrinology.
Levels of HGH naturally start to decline once adulthood is reached. This decline in HGH could be a factor in the aging process, which has prompted researchers to question whether taking HGH supplements could be beneficial to fighting the signs of aging.
Peak hCG Levels
The level of hCG peaks between nine and 12 weeks gestation. At this point it begins to decline until it reaches less than 5mIU/ml after the baby is born. This is the level that is normal for non-pregnant women.
Clinical Conditions
HGH is an essential hormone for growth, therefore too much or too little can cause a variety of clinical conditions. Too much HGH is normally caused by a pituitary tumor. HGH deficiency, usually caused by damage to the pituitary, can result in growth failure especially in children. This condition can be treated with synthetic HGH administered through injections.
HCG levels can be a sign of various conditions of pregnancy. Levels that are too high may signal the presence of a molar pregnancy, which is an abnormal growth of placental material in the absence of an embryo. It can also signal the presence of multiple embryos. An hCG level that does not increase as expected can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, which is when an embryo grows outside of a uterus, usually in the fallopian tube.
