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Compounded prescription

What is sermorelin?

Sermorelin explained in plain English: what it is, what the research shows, side effects, legal status and dosage, plus a calculator for syringe units. There is no validated human dose, and this page doesn't invent one. Also called Geref, GRF 1-29, Sermorelin acetate.

Sermorelin has no FDA-approved product on the market; in the US it is available only as a compounded prescription. This page is educational; talk with a qualified healthcare professional.

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= 5,000 mcg

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Syringe, no result yetU-100, 1 mL syringe holding up to 100 units. Enter your dose.0102030405060708090100

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What is sermorelin?

Sermorelin is a lab-made copy of the first 29 amino acids of GHRH (growth hormone-releasing hormone), the part that does the work. It tells the pituitary gland to release the body’s own growth hormone.

It was FDA-approved in 1997 as Geref for children with growth hormone deficiency. The maker stopped selling it in 2008 for business reasons, and today it is made by compounding pharmacies.

What is sermorelin used for?

Today sermorelin is mostly prescribed off-label by wellness and anti-aging clinics, for energy, sleep, body composition and “age-related” drops in growth hormone. Those uses were never part of its approval.

Its original approved use was diagnosing and treating growth hormone deficiency in children.

What does the research on sermorelin show?

Studies from the 1990s showed sermorelin raises growth hormone and helped children with growth hormone deficiency grow. In older adults, small studies found it raised growth hormone and IGF-1, with mixed effects on muscle, fat and well-being.

There are no large modern trials showing it slows aging or improves fitness in healthy adults.

Sermorelin side effects and risks

Common side effects are pain, redness or swelling where it’s injected, flushing, headache and dizziness. Raising growth hormone can also cause water retention and higher blood sugar.

It is not used in people with active cancer or untreated thyroid problems. Compounded products are made to order and aren’t FDA-approved, so quality depends on the pharmacy.

Yes, with a prescription. Because the FDA found Geref wasn’t withdrawn for safety or effectiveness reasons, US pharmacies can compound sermorelin for individual patients.

It is banned in sport at all times by the World Anti-Doping Agency as a growth hormone-releasing factor.

How do you reconstitute sermorelin?

Compounded sermorelin usually comes as a powder that is mixed with bacteriostatic water. The calculator above turns the vial size, the water and a dose into syringe units, and the reconstitution guide explains each step.

See the dosage section below, and follow your prescription.

Sermorelin dosage

Geref, the approved form of sermorelin, was dosed by body weight for children with growth hormone deficiency and was withdrawn in 2008. There is no approved adult dose; compounded sermorelin is dosed by the prescribing doctor.

There is no approved or validated human dose. This site does not repeat doses from forums, sellers or animal studies.

Medical disclaimer: this dosage information is for education only and comes from the source shown for each row. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation for you. Only a licensed prescriber who knows your health can decide whether Sermorelin is right for you and at what dose. Don't start, change or stop a medicine based on this page, and don't use research peptides or unapproved drugs based on trial doses.

Sermorelin concentration chart

The concentration of a Sermorelin vial depends only on its size and the water you add. Each unit on a U-100 syringe holds one hundredth of a mL.

Sermorelin concentration by vial size and water
Vial + waterConcentrationPer unit (U-100)
2 mg + 1 mL2,000 mcg/mL (2 mg/mL)20 mcg per unit (0.02 mg per unit)
2 mg + 2 mL1,000 mcg/mL (1 mg/mL)10 mcg per unit (0.01 mg per unit)
2 mg + 3 mL666.67 mcg/mL (0.66667 mg/mL)6.67 mcg per unit (0.00667 mg per unit)
5 mg + 1 mL5,000 mcg/mL (5 mg/mL)50 mcg per unit (0.05 mg per unit)
5 mg + 2 mL2,500 mcg/mL (2.5 mg/mL)25 mcg per unit (0.025 mg per unit)
5 mg + 3 mL1,666.67 mcg/mL (1.66667 mg/mL)16.67 mcg per unit (0.01667 mg per unit)
10 mg + 1 mL10,000 mcg/mL (10 mg/mL)100 mcg per unit (0.1 mg per unit)
10 mg + 2 mL5,000 mcg/mL (5 mg/mL)50 mcg per unit (0.05 mg per unit)
10 mg + 3 mL3,333.33 mcg/mL (3.33333 mg/mL)33.33 mcg per unit (0.03333 mg per unit)

Frequently asked questions

Is sermorelin FDA approved?

Not anymore. It was approved as Geref in 1997 for children with growth hormone deficiency, and the maker withdrew it in 2008 for business reasons, not safety.

Is sermorelin the same as growth hormone?

No. Sermorelin is a GHRH copy that tells the pituitary gland to release your own growth hormone, rather than supplying growth hormone directly.

Is sermorelin legal?

In the US it can be prescribed and made by compounding pharmacies, because the approved product was withdrawn for reasons other than safety. It is banned in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Sources

  1. Federal Register / FDA, determination that Geref was not withdrawn for safety or effectiveness reasons (via HealthRx summary)
  2. Wikipedia, Sermorelin (with cited studies)
  3. World Anti-Doping Agency, The Prohibited List

Last updated .

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