Q. What are some diseases caused by abnormal GH secretion by the hypophysis?
In childhood deficient GH secretion may lead to delayed growth and in severe cases to nanism that is dwarfism. Excessive production of GH in children may cause exaggerated osseous growth and gigantism. In adults GH excess for instance in hypophiseal cancer or in people that wrongly ingest GH as a nutritional supplement may lead to acromegaly, disproportional and excessive growth of the bone extremities, like the maxillaries, the skull, the hands and the feet.