Growth Injections vs. Growth Herbal Medicine: What’s the Difference? Comparing Growth Treatment Approaches

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What are the ingredients in growth herbal medicine, and how do growth injections differ from growth herbal medicine? Growth Herbal Medicine Part 3

“Doctors, what’s the difference between growth injections and growth herbal medicine?” This is a question we hear very often during growth consultations. To put it simply, growth injections and growth herbal medicine have different perspectives and approaches to growth.

Therefore, rather than asking “Which one is more effective?”, it’s important to first examine what approach is needed for the child’s current physical condition and growth stage.

Differences in Approach: Growth Injections vs. Growth Herbal Medicine

Growth injections are a treatment that supplements growth hormone externally to induce short-term numerical changes when there is a clear indication, such as growth hormone deficiency.

However, according to various reports, in children whose growth hormone levels are within the normal range, there may not be a significant difference in final adult height, so caution is needed regarding indiscriminate application. Furthermore, growth hormone treatment requires continuous medical observation and management due to its association with changes in hormone balance and metabolic burden.

Therefore, it must be administered under accurate diagnosis and professional management.

What the actual reported adverse event data means

According to public data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, a total of 6,309 adverse event reports related to growth hormone injections were compiled from January 2014 to December 2023. This number does not mean that all cases represent serious side effects, nor does it definitively prove the inherent risks of growth hormone injection treatment itself.

However, this data can be understood as a reference showing that growth hormone injection treatment is a therapy where various reactions may be reported depending on an individual’s condition, and thus requires careful decision-making based on sufficient explanation and the judgment of medical professionals.

Aspects considered together from a long-term perspective

Regarding growth hormone injection treatment, continuous medical research and discussion are ongoing not only about short-term growth changes but also about long-term effects.

Commonly discussed topics include •the relationship with the timing of growth plate maturation, •the possibility of changes in hormone balance, and •the need for long-term observation related to metabolism and the cardiovascular system. These are known as factors considered when determining the necessity and appropriateness of treatment. In contrast, growth herbal medicine is not a method of directly supplementing hormones externally, but rather a method of creating a bodily environment that allows the child’s internal growth regulation system to function naturally.

•Growth injections → Focus on external hormone supplementation •Growth herbal medicine → Focus on improving the internal regulatory environment

What are the goals of growth herbal medicine?

The goal of growth herbal medicine is not to rapidly increase height in a short period. In Korean medicine, growth treatment does not view height as a standalone outcome, but rather examines the entire body that enables growth.

•An environment where growth plates can be maintained healthily •Physiological conditions conducive to growth hormone secretion and action •Stability of physical strength, immunity, and sleep rhythm necessary for the growth process Therefore, growth herbal medicine aims to create a body condition suitable for a child’s growth, not only by increasing height but also by reducing minor illnesses, restoring physical strength, and improving sleep quality.

Herbal ingredients used in growth herbal medicine

Growth herbal medicine varies depending on the child’s age, constitution, and growth stage, but it is generally formulated with the following directions in mind. ① Composition considering musculoskeletal and growth environment Deer antler velvet (Nokyong), Achyranthes root (Useul), and Eucommia bark (Duchung) have traditionally been used to strengthen bones and muscles, and are used adjunctively to maintain a stable physiological environment around the growth plates.

Some studies also report that these herbal ingredients may indirectly affect the metabolic environment related to growth factors (IGF-1). ② Composition considering the growth hormone secretion environment Cornus fruit (Sansuyu), ginseng (Insam), and Astragalus root (Hwanggi) focus on supplementing basic physical strength and metabolic function to create a physical condition conducive to growth hormone secretion and action.

Goji berry (Gugija) and Rubus coreanus fruit (Bokbunja) are used to assist energy metabolism and recovery rhythm, helping growth signal transmission occur smoothly. The important point is that the focus is not on ‘inserting’ hormones externally, but on creating an environment where the body can balance itself. ③ Composition considering sleep and immune status together Growth hormone is most actively secreted during deep sleep.

Therefore, herbal ingredients that consider sleep quality, such as white peony root (Baekjakyak) and wild jujube seed (Sanjoin), along with compositions that assist immunity and recovery, like Astragalus root (Hwanggi) and ginseng (Insam), become important factors in growth management. Thus, growth herbal medicine treatment also aims for a state of “sleeping well, eating well, and recovering well.”

I am undergoing growth hormone treatment; can I take herbal medicine concurrently?

Even when receiving growth hormone treatment, it is sometimes possible to combine it with herbal medicine treatment, depending on the individual’s condition. Some studies have reported that when growth hormone treatment and herbal medicine treatment were combined, the growth rate was observed to be higher than with single treatment, but this result does not apply equally to all children.

Therefore, it is important to decide whether to combine treatments under the judgment of a specialist, considering the child’s growth stage, current treatment, and overall physical condition.

When should growth herbal medicine be taken, and for how long?

There is often a ‘golden time’ for growth. Especially from age 3 until before puberty, growth proceeds relatively steadily, and managing the child’s growth environment as stably as possible during this period can contribute to long-term growth.

The duration of growth herbal medicine intake is also determined by referring to the child’s current height, growth rate, and bone age, to decide whether to •take it continuously for a certain period or •manage it by dividing it into different periods. Regular growth observation and prescription adjustments according to the condition are important. Growth is not a matter of speed, but of how long and how healthily one grows.

Rather than growing quickly for a short time, •maintaining healthy growth plates, •ensuring the child is not excessively depleted during the growth process, and •having growth potential remaining even after puberty are much more important in the long term. It is best to consult with a specialist for any questions about your child’s growth.

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This post was written directly by the medical staff of Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic to provide medical information, in compliance with Article 56(2) and Article 57(3) of the Medical Service Act. The duration and outcome of treatment may vary from person to person, so please consult a qualified practitioner before beginning treatment.