Saizen HGH by EMD Serono

Saizen is manufactured by EMD Serono, using recombinant DNA technology with a pharmacokinetic profile identical stricture to natural growth hormone. It comes with a reconstitution device, white powder and solvent solution in 5mg or 8.8 mg vials. These vials must be stored at room temperatures of 15-30°C.

Before administration, reconstitute to liquid form using bacteriostatic water. The bacteriostatic water has 0.9% benzyl alcohol which is a microbial preservative. Once Saizen has been reconstituted, it must be stored under refrigeration at 2-8 °C for up to 21 days.

What is Saizen used for?

Saizen is prescribed for adults who have growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This condition can exist by itself or along with other hormone deficiencies.

Growth hormone deficiency comes in two ways, adult-onset and childhood-onset. It can be a result of genetic factors or organic disease.

Adult-onset GHD
Adult-onset means that the GHD began at the adult stage. Hormone deficiencies can be a result of factors like hypothalamic and pituitary diseases. It can also be a result of trauma or radiation therapy.

Childhood-onset GHD
People who grew up with GHD may continue to suffer from the condition as adults. Since not all who suffered from the condition as children will experience GHD as adults, hormone provocative tests may be required to confirm the presence of the condition.

Saizen growth hormone supplies the body with the much-needed ingredient that is responsible for:

• Tissue growth. Spurs tissue growth and regeneration in adults. These include muscles, skeletal mass, and internal organs.
• Protein metabolism. Increased protein metabolism is another effect of Saizen hgh injections. This leads to better absorption of nitrogen by the body.
• Carbohydrate metabolism. Somatropin plays a role in carbohydrate metabolism. It leads to better insulin levels in adults.
• Lipid metabolism. Saizen growth hormone helps reduce body fat. Long-term administration results in decreased cholesterol and body fat levels.

Symptoms of growth hormone deficiency

Growth hormone stimulation test is one of the tests that can determine a deficiency in adults. The symptoms vary and can indicate other conditions. The common signs of GHD in adults are:

• Baldness in men
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Thin, dry skin
• Low libido and reduced sexual ability
• Reduced muscle strength and mass
• Accumulation of fat around the waist
• A spike in cholesterol levels
• Increased levels of triglyceride
• Lack of concentration and forgetfulness
• Insulin resistance
• Osteoporosis and reduced bone density
• Abnormal sensitivity to heat and cold
• Feeling of weakness

Apart from GHD, doctors can prescribe Saizen injections for adults with:

• Short bowel syndrome
• Muscle wasting disease (a result of HIV/AIDS)

Saizen Dosing Guide

Dosage can be administered using two approaches, a weight-based and non-weight based method.

• Weight-based regimen. In this method, the daily dosage is capped at 0.005mg per kg was given daily through subcutaneous injection. The dosage can be increased to double at 0.01 mg per kg after four weeks depending on the patient’s condition.
• Non-weight based regimen. An alternative dosage can start at between 0.15 to 0.30 mg per day. The daily dosage can then be raised by between 0.1 to 0.2 mg per day in the course of the treatment. It can also be decreased in case the patient shows adverse reactions.

Considerations when determining the dosage include health, the severity of side effects for an individual and other medications. The doctor gives a strict schedule you must follow if you accidentally forget to take an injection, contact the doctor.

What are the side effects of Saizen injections?

Saizen injections may be harmful to patients who suffer from other conditions or using much higher doses than prescribed. The doctor usually considers medical history and won’t recommend Saizen for adults who are:

• hypersensitive to somatropin. In such cases, alternative solutions can be explored for patients with GHD.
• sensitive to benzyl alcohol. Benzyl alcohol is a component of the bacteriostatic water used to reconstitute Saizen injections.
• suffer from acute illnesses like complications arising from open-heart surgery, multiple trauma from accidents, severe respiratory failure, and abdominal surgery.
• suffer from diabetic retinopathy.

Saizen injections must be administered only if prescribed by a qualified medical doctor. Otherwise, somatropin injections can cause undesirable effects on people who do not need it.