Here are some stories taken from published medical case histories. All these patients suffered sex hormone deficiencies, which cause erectile dysfunction in men and failure to menstruate in women, as well as fertility problems. ‘Greg’, ‘Gary’ and ‘Vera’ were affected by growth hormone deficiency, which as well as affecting growth, can cause depression.

A - a car crash and a fall

Study in Endocrine Abstracts (2007)

'Greg' aged 21, was hit by a car going at 50 mph. While he was in intensive care he was producing too much urine. This can be a sign that the pituitary gland has been damaged, so the doctors tested his other hormones too, and found that he was very low in sex, growth, thyroid and stress hormones.

His urinating problem has cleared up now but he still suffers from persistent hypopituitarism and needs regular hormone treatment.

'Brett' aged 34 fractured his skull falling from a 20 foot high bridge. He too was found to be producing too much urine and was found to be low in thyroid stimulating hormone and sex hormones.

"These two patients illustrate the potential of head injuries to cause pituitary insufficiencies. In creased awareness and a high index of suspicion will help in identifying problems early enough."

B - playing soccer

Study in Journal of Athletic Training (2007)

"Gary" was a promising junior soccer player who was the youngest in his team and spent his weekends travelling to inter-school matches. But between ages 14 to 16 he stopped growing, remaining at 5ft 6in. This was strange because his father was nearly 6 feet and both his grandfathers were over 6ft tall. He wasn't getting erections as boys of his age too, and he often felt tired. The doctors were puzzled because he didn't smoke or drink or do drugs. The only possible cause seemed to be 4 mild head injuries he'd had when he was 14.

The first was when he ran his head into the shoulder of another soccer player and sat out of the game because he "didn't feel right." The second happened when he was tandem-tubing behind a speedboat going at 15-20 mph and his face whiplashed into the head of the person in front of him. He couldn't remember much about this - only 'waking up in the water.'

The third and fourth times were ten minutes apart. He was hit hard on the head by a soccer ball, but played on even though he was dazed. Then in the same game he fell and hit the back of his head on the ground, possibly losing consciousness. Afterwards he slept more than usual and found that going upstairs gave him a headache.

The doctors thought his pituitary gland must have been damaged by these four bangs on the head and they tested his hormone levels, and sure enough, they were low.

Now he's on growth hormone, cortisol and replacement thyroid hormone and he is doing fine. He grew 4 inches in a year, and his stamina is back to normal. He has to wear a medical bracelet and will always need hormone checks, but otherwise he can lead a normal life.

C - falling off a bed

Study in Endocrine 2007

"Vera", aged 26 went to the doctors complaining of severe weight gain, swollen ankles, weakness, mild headache and high blood pressure, and was given a thorough hormone check.

She'd had a history of problems. At the age of seven she had been diagnosed with diabetes insipidus (a condition that means passing urine too often and being continuously thirsty), and when she was 12 she was unusually short for her age. She was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency but not given any replacement hormone, and still, surprisingly, managed to reach adult height. However at the age of 18 her periods had still not started. She was given sex hormones, but that made her put on weight.

After this most recent visit at the age of 26 the doctors discovered that she was still lacking in growth and sex hormones. They questioned her parents in more depth and discovered that when she was seven, before she was diagnosed with diabetes insipidus, she had fallen off a bed on to her head and been mildly concussed. The doctors decided that this minor, long ago head injury had been the cause of all her problems.

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