Sermorelin (GHRH 1-29): research, side effects and dosage in studies
In short
Sermorelin is a synthetic peptide of 29 amino acids based on growth hormone-releasing hormone [1]. It was an approved medicine in the United States, but the product has been discontinued, and it has no marketing authorisation in the EU [6, 7, 8]regulator.
- Sermorelin makes the pituitary gland release the body's own growth hormone. It is not growth hormone itself [1].
- The best evidence is from children with growth hormone deficiency: in an open-label study growth sped up, but there was no comparison group [2]B.
- There is no reliable evidence of benefit in healthy adults. The studies in older men are small and short [3, 4]B [5].
- In the United States the product was discontinued for reasons other than safety or effectiveness [6, 7]regulator. It has no marketing authorisation in the EU [8, 13]regulator.
- In Finland sermorelin is in Annex 1 of the medicines list, so it is controlled as a medicine [9]regulator. In sport it is prohibited at all times (WADA S2.2.4) [10]regulator.
What is sermorelin?
Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid synthetic peptide that matches the start of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It is the shortest synthetic peptide with the full biological activity of this hormone [1].
In the United States sermorelin acetate was sold as Geref. The FDA approved it in 1990 for testing growth hormone deficiency and in 1997 for treating children, but both products are marked as discontinued [6, 7]regulator.
Basics: What are peptides?. All substances: Peptides A-Z.
AOD-9604, derived from a fragment of the growth hormone molecule, is a different thing: it is not a growth hormone releaser.
Evidence at a glance
Each cell gives the kind of study and its source. The letter is the evidence level, not the result.
| Claimed effect | Humans | Animals | Cells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Testing for growth hormone deficiency | A single dose into a vein was a rapid and relatively specific test, but a normal response does not rule out every deficiency (review) [1] | - | - |
| Growth in children | Open-label study, 110 children, no comparison group: growth rose from 4.1 to 7.2 cm a year [2]B | - | - |
| Growth hormone and IGF-1 in older people | 10 men, 14 days: rose to young men's levels at the higher dose [3]B. 11 men, 6 weeks: night-time growth hormone rose, IGF-1 did not [4]B | - | - |
| Muscle and body composition | 11 men, 6 weeks: weight and body composition did not change, 2 of 6 strength measures improved [4]B | - | - |
| Benefit for healthy adults | Uncertain, human evidence limited and largely indirect (review) [5] | - | - |
| Safety | Well tolerated in short studies; most often flushing and injection site pain [1]. No long-term data [5] | - | - |
"-" = no such study is known.
What has sermorelin been used and studied for?
Sermorelin has been used to test for growth hormone deficiency and to treat growth hormone deficiency in children [1]. There is currently no authorised product for either use in the United States or the EU [6, 7, 8]regulator.
- Growth hormone deficiency test: a single dose into a vein, after which the rise in growth hormone is measured [1].
- Growth hormone deficiency in children: treatment given under the skin once a day [2]B.
- Older men: two small studies from the 1990s on whether growth hormone rises and whether the body changes [3, 4]B.
Claims online. Claims about rejuvenation and muscle growth in adults are not based on evidence: according to a review, benefit in healthy people is uncertain [5], and in a six-week study body composition did not change [4]B.
How does sermorelin work?
Sermorelin works like the body's own growth hormone-releasing hormone. Given into a vein or under the skin, it makes the front part of the pituitary gland release growth hormone [1].
So it is not growth hormone; it increases the body's own growth hormone release [1]. In older men IGF-1 also rose when the higher dose was given twice a day [3]B, but not with a dose given once each evening [4]B.
A modified IGF-1 analogue acts at the lower end of the axis: IGF-1 LR3 at the lower end of the axis.
Has sermorelin been studied in humans?
Yes, but the studies are old and small. They concern mainly children with growth hormone deficiency and a few dozen older men [1, 2, 3, 4].
Human studies
- Growth hormone test. According to a review, a single dose into a vein was a rapid and relatively specific test for growth hormone deficiency. A normal response does not, however, rule out a deficiency arising in the hypothalamus of the brain, so this has to be confirmed with other tests [1].
- Children (1996). In an open multicentre study, 110 previously untreated prepubertal children received sermorelin under the skin once a day for up to one year. The efficacy analysis included 86 children. Mean growth speed rose from 4.1 cm a year to 8.0 cm at six months and 7.2 cm at 12 months. There was no comparison group [2]B.
- Comparison with growth hormone. According to a review, sermorelin given as a continuous infusion or as three doses a day increased growth less than growth hormone given once a day. Once-daily sermorelin had not been compared directly with growth hormone [1].
- Older men (1992). In ten healthy older men (mean age 68), GHRH 1-29 given twice a day raised growth hormone and IGF-1 to young men's levels within two weeks at the higher dose [3]B.
- Older men (1997). 11 older men injected themselves with GHRH 1-29 every evening for six weeks. Night-time growth hormone rose, but IGF-1, weight and body composition did not change. Two of six strength measures improved [4]B.
The studies in older men had no placebo group [3, 4]B.
Who studies sermorelin?
Most treatment studies are from the 1990s. The multicentre study in children was run by the Geref International Study Group [2]B, and the studies in older men are from 1992 and 1997 [3, 4]B. More recent publications are a doping control methods study on detecting sermorelin in urine [12]D and a 2026 review of performance-enhancing peptides acting on growth hormone [5].
Who wrote this page: the editorial team
This page was written by the Molecular Recovery editorial team. The draft was made with the help of AI, and the claims were checked against the sources (AI policy). The page has not been medically reviewed. How we work: About us.
What are the side effects of sermorelin?
In short studies sermorelin was well tolerated. According to a review, the most commonly reported harms were transient facial flushing and pain at the injection site [1].
What users report. In the Reddit accounts we compiled (not research), 36 of 72 people (50%) reported some harm, most often: sleep problems (10, 14%), allergic reaction, hives or rash (9, 13%) and injection site reaction (8, 11%). People tend to post when something goes wrong, so this share does not tell how common harms are. Some writers got sermorelin on a doctor's prescription and some obtained it elsewhere, and the accounts cannot separate the two. 29 people (40%) used other substances at the same time. The harms in detail: Sermorelin user experiences.
What studies found
- In the one-year study in children, no harmful changes were seen in blood tests or hormones, and fasting glucose did not change [2]B.
- In the short studies in older men, fasting glucose did not change and no significant harms were seen [3, 4]B.
- According to a more recent review, sermorelin has also been linked to nausea, dizziness, headache, rare allergic reactions and a transient rise in prolactin [5].
What has not been studied
There are no long-term safety data. According to a review, the rise in growth hormone and IGF-1 carries a theoretical cancer concern that has not been demonstrated [5].
According to Fimea, there is no reliable information on the content and safety of peptide products bought online, and in injectable products impurities such as endotoxins raise the risk of serious harm [11]regulator. More: Side effects and safety.
Interactions and who has no data
The studies did not examine interactions between sermorelin and other medicines. They included children with growth hormone deficiency and healthy older men [2, 3, 4]B, so they give no information on pregnant or breastfeeding women, women in general or people with long-term illness.
Evidence against and what is unknown
A rise in growth hormone is not the same as a benefit. In a six-week study growth hormone rose, but weight and body composition did not change [4]B.
Evidence against
- Sermorelin given once each evening did not raise IGF-1 over six weeks, and the researchers judged one evening injection less effective than several daily doses [4]B.
- In the two-week study, significant changes in growth hormone and IGF-1 were seen only with the higher dose [3]B.
- In children, growth increased less than with growth hormone treatment in the comparisons that were made [1].
- According to a review, benefit in healthy people is uncertain, because the human evidence is limited and largely indirect [5].
What the evidence does not support
- "Sermorelin was withdrawn from the market for safety reasons": it was not. The manufacturer stopped selling it, and according to the FDA the product was not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness [5] [6, 7]regulator.
- "Sermorelin rejuvenates and builds muscle in adults": this has not been shown. Body composition did not change in six weeks [4]B, and benefit in healthy adults is uncertain [5].
- "Sermorelin is growth hormone": it is not. It makes the pituitary gland release the body's own growth hormone [1].
- "Sermorelin sold online is the same as the former medicine": there is no way to know. According to Fimea, an unauthorised product may contain a different substance than the packaging states [11]regulator, and the quality and composition of unregulated products vary [5].
What is not known
- Benefit and safety in healthy adults over the long term: there are no long-term safety data [5].
- Effect on children's final adult height: the effect of long-term treatment had not been determined [1].
- Whether the strength changes seen in older men are real: the study had 11 men and lasted six weeks [4]B.
Sermorelin dosage in studies
There is currently no approved dosage for sermorelin: the products approved in the United States have been discontinued [6, 7]regulator, and there is no authorised product in the EU [8]regulator. Below are the doses used in studies in the 1990s. They are not recommendations.
| Study | Who | Dose and route | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth hormone test (review 1999) | children tested for growth hormone deficiency | 1 µg/kg into a vein once | one test [1] |
| Treatment in children (1996) | 110 children with growth hormone deficiency | 30 µg/kg under the skin once a day at bedtime | up to 1 year [2]B |
| Older men (1992) | 10 healthy older men | 0.5 mg or 1 mg under the skin twice a day | 14 days each [3]B |
| Older men (1997) | 11 healthy men aged 64-76 | 2 mg under the skin once each evening | 6 weeks [4]B |
What the figures do not tell you. The children's doses were calculated by body weight for children with diagnosed growth hormone deficiency [1] [2]B. The studies in older men had 10 and 11 participants and no placebo group [3, 4]B. The figures do not say what amount would be safe or useful for anyone else.
More detail: Sermorelin doses in studies. Unit converter: sermorelin calculator.
Sermorelin vs CJC-1295: what is the difference?
Both are based on the same 29-amino-acid stretch of growth hormone-releasing hormone, but CJC-1295 has four substituted amino acids [5].
- Structure: the studied form of CJC-1295 (DAC) binds to albumin in the blood [5].
- Evidence: according to a review, the claimed effects of CJC-1295 sold without DAC are inferred mainly from sermorelin [5].
- Status: sermorelin was an approved medicine in the United States before the product was discontinued [6, 7]regulator.
More: CJC-1295.
Status in the United States
The FDA approved the sermorelin acetate product Geref on 28 Dec 1990 for diagnostic use and a new dosage form for treating children on 26 Sep 1997 as an orphan drug. In Drugs@FDA both are marked as discontinued [6, 7]regulator.
According to a review, the manufacturer stopped selling the product, and the approvals were withdrawn effective 18 June 2009 [5]. The FDA later determined that the product was not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness [6, 7]regulator.
Is sermorelin legal in Finland?
Sermorelin is controlled as a medicine in Finland, but there is no authorised product in the EU [8, 9, 13]regulator.
- Medicines list. Sermorelin is named in annex 1 of the Finnish medicines list (Fimea decision 230/2025). Under the decision, annex 1 substances are controlled as medicines [9]regulator.
- Marketing authorisation. On 12 Oct 2026 the EMA data on centrally authorised medicines contained no medicine with sermorelin [8]regulator. The EMA Article 57 database, which must list every human medicine authorised in the EU and EEA, had no sermorelin product in any country (data as of 21 Sep 2026) [13]regulator.
- Fimea warning of 29 June 2026. The warning about injectable peptides bought online does not name sermorelin, but Fimea advises in general not to order injectable peptides online and to buy medicines only from legal pharmacies [11]regulator.
- Import. Ordering medicines from outside the EU is covered on Peptides and the law in Finland. Bringing them back from a trip: Travelling with peptides.
This is not legal advice. Disclaimer.
Is sermorelin doping?
Yes. On the WADA 2026 Prohibited List, sermorelin is named among growth hormone releasing factors in class S2.2.4, and substances in this class are prohibited at all times, also out of competition [10]regulator.
Doping laboratories have developed methods to identify sermorelin and its breakdown product in urine [12]D.
How to assess a sermorelin product
There is no way to be sure of the content. The approved product has been discontinued in the United States [6, 7]regulator, and there is no authorised product in the EU [8]regulator, so a product offered online is not an authorised medicine. According to a review, the quality and composition of unregulated products vary [5].
According to Fimea, an unauthorised product may contain a different substance than the packaging states, and "for research use only" means the product is not intended for humans [11]regulator. A certificate of analysis (COA) does not show a product is safe. Laboratories identify sermorelin with liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (MS) [12]D. More: How to read a COA and check a test result.
FAQ
What is sermorelin?
A synthetic peptide that matches the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone-releasing hormone and makes the pituitary gland release the body's own growth hormone [1].
Is sermorelin an approved medicine?
Not at present. It was approved in the United States, but the product has been discontinued for reasons other than safety or effectiveness [6, 7]regulator. It has no marketing authorisation in the EU [8]regulator.
Does sermorelin help adults rejuvenate or build muscle?
Not known. In older men it raised growth hormone, but in a six-week study body composition did not change [3, 4]B, and benefit in healthy adults is uncertain [5].
What side effects of sermorelin have been seen?
The most common were transient facial flushing and injection site pain [1]. There are no data on long-term safety [5].
What doses did sermorelin studies use?
The treatment study in children used 30 µg/kg under the skin once a day [2]B, and the studies in older men 0.5-2 mg under the skin once or twice a day [3, 4]B. These are not dosing advice: Sermorelin dosage in studies.
What is the difference between sermorelin and CJC-1295?
Both are based on the same 29-amino-acid stretch. CJC-1295 has four substituted amino acids, and its studied form binds to albumin in the blood [5].
Is sermorelin legal in Finland?
Sermorelin is in Annex 1 of the medicines list, so it is controlled as a medicine [9]regulator. It has no marketing authorisation in the EU [8]regulator. This is not legal advice.
Is sermorelin a doping substance?
Yes. On the WADA list it is in the growth hormone releasing factors class S2.2.4 and is prohibited at all times [10]regulator.
What do users themselves report about sermorelin?
In the Reddit accounts of 72 people we compiled (not research), 42 (58%) reported some benefit and 36 (50%) some harm. The accounts are self-selected and prove neither that it works nor that it is safe: Sermorelin user experiences.
Read the research yourself: sources
Every source opens the original publication or the regulator's page. The level shows what the source itself reports.
- Prakash A, Goa KL. Sermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency. BioDrugs. 1999;12:139-157. PMID 18031173 (review)
- Thorner M, et al. Once daily subcutaneous growth hormone-releasing hormone therapy accelerates growth in growth hormone-deficient children during the first year of therapy. Geref International Study Group. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1996;81:1189-1196. PMID 8772599 B
- Corpas E, et al. Growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone-(1-29) twice daily reverses the decreased GH and insulin-like growth factor-I levels in old men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1992;75:530-535. PMID 1379256 B
- Vittone J, et al. Effects of single nightly injections of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29) in healthy elderly men. Metabolism. 1997;46:89-96. PMID 9005976 B
- Dominikowski A, et al. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administration. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2026;17:1822475. PMID 42395176 (review)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Drugs@FDA: NDA 019863 Geref (sermorelin acetate) 0.05 mg base/amp, original approval 28 Dec 1990, marketing status discontinued, with the note "Federal Register determination that product was not discontinued or withdrawn for safety or effectiveness reasons". FDA regulator
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Drugs@FDA: NDA 020443 Geref (sermorelin acetate) 0.5 mg and 1 mg base/vial, original approval 26 Sep 1997 (orphan), marketing status discontinued, with the same Federal Register note. FDA regulator
- European Medicines Agency. Medicine data (data set of 12 Oct 2026): no product with sermorelin. EMA regulator
- Finland. Lääkeluettelo (Fimea medicines list), 230/2025, section 2 and annex 1 ("Sermoreliini"). Finlex regulator
- World Anti-Doping Agency. 2026 Prohibited List, S2.2.4 Growth hormone releasing factors. WADA regulator
- Fimea. Fimea warns: do not use injectable peptides purchased online (29 Jun 2026). Fimea regulator
- Memdouh S, et al. Advances in the detection of growth hormone releasing hormone synthetic analogs. Drug Test Anal. 2021;13:1871-1887. PMID 34665524 D
- European Medicines Agency. Article 57 product data (EMA/518502/2018 Rev.89, data as of 21 Sep 2026): no product with sermorelin in any EU/EEA country. EMA regulator
Research sources checked 12 Oct 2026. Regulator and registry sources checked 15 Sep to 12 Oct 2026.
Evidence levels: A = randomised human trial or meta-analysis · B = observational human study or case series · C = animal study · D = cell or laboratory study · E = not peer-reviewed · regulator = a regulator's assessment or decision, not research evidence. The marker official means official product information (summary of product characteristics or label); it is not research evidence. For a review, the level shows what kind of research the statement rests on. No level: statements that something has not been studied, reviews' interpretations, named hypotheses and the general rules in our certificate-of-analysis guide.
Content is general information about research, not medical advice. If you have symptoms, contact a healthcare professional.