IGF stands for Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 and it helps to promote the normal growth of bone and tissues. The test is ordered to evaluate the levels of IGF-1 in the blood. The IGF-1 works with growth hormone (GH) and it tracks GH excesses and deficiencies throughout the day. This helps to keep track of GH levels and is often used to evaluate GH excess or GH deficiency. The IGF-1-Somatomedin C test may also be ordered with other pituitary hormone tests such as prolactin or FSH and LH used to diagnose the dysfunction in pituitary glands. This test is broadly used to keep track of the GH factor as it becomes unstable throughout the day.
This test does not require any special preparation. As this is a blood sample test your doctor might ask you to fast at least 12 hours before the test. This will regulate the GH and IGF-1 levels in the body to minimum and maximum and can be easily evaluated during the results. If you are on any medications then your doctor should know about it. The medications might interfere with the actual results of IGF-1 test.
The test is useful to help evaluate Growth Hormone deficiency. Although the test is of IGF-1 factor but it helps to get additional information about GH. This test also proves helpful to get follow-up on other hormone tests. Further this test helps to evaluate: Pituitary Gland function, Excess growth hormone, Rare conditions like acromegaly and gigantism, To identify whether the tumor was successfully removed, The GH insensitivity.
The IGF-1-Somatomedin C test follows a simple and painless procedure i.e. blood sample test. Your doctor will ask you to be present at the clinic at given schedule. There will be a nurse who will guide you and take the blood sample from your vein. The whole process takes less than half an hour and all you will feel is a sharp pinch. The nurse will draw sufficient blood from your arm vein and cover the injected area with medical cotton. They will clean the area with an antiseptic liquid to kill the infectious bacteria on the arm.
| Type | Gender | Age-Group | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
|
IGF-1
|
Unisex
|
All age groups
|
144 - 673ng/ml
|
|
IGF-1
|
Female
|
11 years - 18 years
|
147 - 646ng/ml
|
Including cheese, milk, and ice-cream etc into your daily meals maybe the reason behind the painful acne on your face. Processed milk and other dairy products negatively affect your skin and trigger the formation of whiteheads, blackheads and pimples. Here's how milk causes acne and what you can do to get clearer skin.
What can you do to get acne-free skin?
The best way to get acne-free skin is by trying to limit your consumption of milk and dairy products. You can do so in two ways:
What are the alternatives to milk which can be consumed without harming your skin?
You can also replace milk with the following products in your diet chart to prevent the occurrence of acne.
Warning: Do not consume soy milk as a milk substitute as it contains Omega-6 fats, which causes skin inflammation and swelling of acne. Further, oily and spicy foods, over use of cosmetics and certain face creams etc. all can cause acne, therefore it is advisable to avoid them. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ayurveda.
The development of a girl’s breast at puberty is a major differentiating factor between the silhouette of a boy and a girl. However, sometimes, men too can develop breast tissue. This condition is known as Gynecomastia. While it is not fatal or very harmful to a person’s overall health, it can cause emotional distress and affect a person’s self-confidence.
Not only some foods can lead to breast growth in male but sometimes one of the best drinks for health "milk" can lead to the growth of breast tissue. Here we find out how to milk cause breast growth or Gynecomastia problem in men. As different milk used to be people like soy milk, almond milk, and cow milk.
Gynecomastia can be triggered by a number of factors including diet, lifestyle, hormonal imbalances, etc. One of the most surprising causes of this condition is milk. This is because milk is considered to be rich in oestrogen. When talking about milk, it can be categorized as organic and non-organic milk. In order to increase the amount of milk, a cow can produce they are often injected with hormones. Milk collected from cows who have received such treatment is known as non-organic milk while milk collected from cows who have not received any form of treatment to boost milk production can be termed as organic milk. Non-organic milk may also have a higher than normal IGF-I level. This refers to an insulin-like growth factor that aids in the development of breast tissue in men.
The main reason milk consumption is encouraged is for its high calcium levels. However, you can get your calcium from other natural sources as well. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and bok-choy are very rich in calcium and the calcium from these vegetables can be very easily absorbed by our bodies. Thus, skipping your glass of milk will not give you weak bones.
After knowing that breast tissue growth occurs due to intake of cow milk, Gynecomastia can be treated but doing changes in eating habit. Increasing your intake of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower can help absorb and remove oestrogen from the digestive tract before it goes into the bloodstream. Spices like turmeric can increase testosterone levels and help balance hormones. Phytoestrogens like flax seeds and soy can also help treat gynecomastia by minimizing oestrogen levels and reducing cholesterol.
To treats gynecomastia due to the consumption of milk, Ayurveda medication can important role. These two ayurvedic herbs that can increase the production of testosterone and thus, help maintain a balance between oestrogen and testosterone are Tribulus Terrestris and cordyceps. Red clover can also help reduce oestrogen levels. Sarsaparilla is yet another ayurvedic herb that can help treat this condition by strengthening muscles.
To reduce the effect of breast enlargement in males due to milk, Dietary changes and herbal medicines play an important role, Men must also exercise to reduce fat tissue in the chest area. Lifting weights or chest bench presses are ideal exercises to strengthen chest muscles and reduce gynecomastia. If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a Sexologist.
Updates From Lybrate: Stay fit and strong by consuming Health Drinks, available at Lybrate. Being a blend of natural ingredients, these Health Drinks products give a vitalizing boost of freshness.
In case you have a concern or query regarding sexual health ask a doctor online, you can consult the best sexologist doctor online, & get the answers to your questions.
Even though we have 206 bones in our bodies, breaking just one is enough to bring our daily lives to a standstill. A partial or complete break in a bone is termed as a fracture. While minor fractures can heal in as little as 6 weeks major fractures can take 3-4 months to heal properly. In cases of complex fractures, you may need physical therapy even after this time period to get back complete mobility. Hence patience is essential when a fracture is healing, but here are a few tips on how to speed up the process.
Did you know that milk can cause acne?
Including cheese, milk, and ice-cream etc into your daily meals maybe the reason behind the painful acne on your face. Processed milk and other dairy products negatively affect your skin and trigger the formation of whiteheads, blackheads and pimples.
Here’s how milk causes acne and what you can do to get clearer skin.
How does milk cause acne?
1. Milk contains a growth hormone IGF-1 (responsible for the growth and strength of calves) in large amounts. This has an adverse effect on your skin, and is responsible for its inflammation, which results in acne. In fact, this hormone can even increase the size of the acne.
2. Consumption of milk and other dairy products also result in a sharp rise in the amount of insulin present in your body, which initiates more IGF-1 production by the liver, thereby increasing acne.
3. Excessive sebum (oil) is secreted by your skin due to the consumption of milk, which results in more number of clogged pores, causing an acne breakout. Additionally, an increase in sebum helps the acne bacteria to grow and breed, which further causes skin inflammation.
4. Consumption of milk can render your skin unable to get rid of dead skin cells, causing more acne due to clogged pores. This happens as milk sticks dead cells together inside your pores, interfering with their natural process of falling off.
What can you do to get acne-free skin?
The best way to get acne-free skin is by trying to limit your consumption of milk and dairy products. You can do so in two ways:
1. Discontinue Milk Intake: Stop consuming milk and its products completely for at least 30 days and observe the changes. If your skin improves after 30 days, you can add small amounts of high-quality dairy, like organic yoghurt, to your diet. If eliminating milk does not show any positive effects, try observing other triggers of acne and look for appropriate methods of removing them.
2. Switch to Organic Milk Products Only - If you find it difficult to totally cut off milk from your diet, try reducing the amount of milk intake and totally avoid processed milk products. Switching to raw, grass-fed dairy products will also be beneficial.
What are the alternatives to milk which can be consumed without harming your skin?
You can also replace milk with the following products in your diet chart to prevent the occurrence of acne.
1. Organic almond milk without added sugar
2. Organic coconut milk containing no artificial sweeteners
3. Natural coconut cream
Warning: Do not consume soy milk as a milk substitute as it contains omega-6 fats, which cause skin inflammation and swelling of acne.
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