Sermorelin
Synthetic 29-amino acid GHRH analog that stimulates endogenous growth hormone release
- Class
- GHRH secretagogue
- Half-life
- ~10 min
- Route
- Subcutaneous (SubQ)
- Cadence
- Daily
- Evidence
- Human clinical trials
Overview
Sermorelin is a synthetic copy of the first 29 amino acids of human GHRH—enough to bind the pituitary receptor and trigger a pulse of your own growth hormone. It was FDA-approved in the 1990s as a diagnostic test and later as a treatment for pediatric growth hormone deficiency, then pulled from the market in 2008 for commercial reasons. Now it lives in anti-aging and longevity clinics as a compounded peptide, usually dosed nightly before bed at 200-300 μg subcutaneous.
No change needed to this field; the error is in practicalConsiderations[1] which should be corrected to match this accurate 16-week duration.
The catch: the 10-minute half-life means you're chasing a narrow dosing window every night, and the evidence base for adults is thin—small trials, short durations, no long-term safety data. Most modern clinics have switched to longer-acting analogs like CJC-1295 or tesamorelin for convenience and stronger IGF-1 response. Sermorelin still works, but it's the first-generation tool in a category that's moved on.
Safety considerations
A few of the safety signals worth knowing — the full list, with dosing context and what to monitor, is inside AIx Core.
- Not FDA-approved for adult use. Compounded sermorelin is unregulated—purity, sterility, and actual peptide content vary by pharmacy.
- Contraindicated in active malignancy (GH/IGF-1 axis can promote tumor growth), pregnancy, breastfeeding, and known hypersensitivity to GHRH analogs.
- Hypothyroidism emerged in 6.5% of pediatric patients during sermorelin therapy in clinical trials—mechanism unknown; monitor TSH at baseline and periodically.
+ 5 more safety notes inside AIx Core →
Commonly monitored
Markers and signals people track when researching Sermorelin.
- IGF-1 (serum)—the main marker of GH axis activity; target is upper-normal for age, not supraphysiological
- Fasting glucose and HbA1c—GH antagonizes insulin; watch for glucose intolerance during chronic use
- Thyroid function (TSH, free T4)—6.5% incidence of new hypothyroidism in pediatric trials; mechanism unclear but real
- Body composition (DEXA preferred)—lean mass and visceral fat are the functional endpoints, not scale weight
- Subjective: sleep quality (many users report deeper sleep within 2-4 weeks), energy, libido
Frequently asked questions
What is Sermorelin?
Synthetic 29-amino acid GHRH analog that stimulates endogenous growth hormone release. Sermorelin is a synthetic copy of the first 29 amino acids of human GHRH—enough to bind the pituitary receptor and trigger a pulse of your own growth hormone. It was FDA-approved in the 1990s as a diagnostic test and later as a treatment for pediatric growth hormone deficiency, then pulled from the market in 2008 for commercial reasons. Now it lives in anti-aging and longevity clinics as a compounded peptide, usually dosed nightly before bed at 200-300 μg subcutaneous.
How is Sermorelin administered?
Subcutaneous (SubQ), typically daily.
What is the half-life of Sermorelin?
~10 min — Very short plasma half-life—stimulates a single pulsatile GH release per dose, mimicking natural rhythm.
Is Sermorelin approved for human use?
Sermorelin is investigational — not approved by the FDA, EMA, or MHRA for human use at the time of writing.
What does the evidence show for Sermorelin?
Evidence tier: Human clinical trials. FDA approval was pediatric-only (30 μg/kg/day subcutaneous for GH deficiency). A 6-month trial showed significant increases in GH release and growth velocity in GH-deficient children (Ishida 2020).
What is commonly monitored when researching Sermorelin?
Commonly tracked markers + signals: IGF-1 (serum)—the main marker of GH axis activity; target is upper-normal for age, not supraphysiological, Fasting glucose and HbA1c—GH antagonizes insulin; watch for glucose intolerance during chronic use, Thyroid function (TSH, free T4)—6.5% incidence of new hypothyroidism in pediatric trials; mechanism unclear but real, Body composition (DEXA preferred)—lean mass and visceral fat are the functional endpoints, not scale weight, Subjective: sleep quality (many users report deeper sleep within 2-4 weeks), energy, libido.
Related compounds
Open this in AIx Core for the full picture
Mechanism breakdown, receptor pathway diagram, full safety list, monitored items, source citations, and one-tap add-to-protocol. Free with any account.