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Sermorelin: What Lakeland Readers Should Know

Also known as: Geref, Sermorelin acetate, GHRH(1-29), GRF 1-29

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Last updated

At a glance

Type
Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog
Human evidence
Some human trials Studied in people, but not FDA-approved for the uses it is marketed for.
FDA status
Formerly FDA-approved (Geref) for children only; approvals withdrawn in 2009; no approved adult use (as of May 14, 2026)
How it is given
Injection under the skin (former approved product also given by vein for testing)

Sermorelin is often offered by wellness and anti-aging clinics. It has a real FDA history, but that history is about children, not adults. This page explains what it is, what the research does and does not show, and what to ask before you start. It is general information, not advice for your situation.

What it is and how it works

Your brain makes a hormone called growth hormone-releasing hormone, or GHRH. GHRH tells the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain, to release growth hormone. Growth hormone then signals the liver to make another hormone called IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1).

Sermorelin is a lab-made copy of the first 29 building blocks (amino acids) of human GHRH. It is described as the shortest lab-made piece that keeps GHRH’s full activity.1 It works one step “upstream” of growth hormone. It prompts the pituitary to release the body’s own growth hormone rather than supplying growth hormone directly.1

Because it works through the pituitary, it depends on that gland working. Sermorelin sold today is usually given as an injection under the skin.

What the research shows (and where evidence is weak)

In children (the approved use). A 1999 drug review found “limited data” that sermorelin increased growth rate over 12 months in some young children with one type of growth hormone deficiency. A few children were followed for up to 3 years. Its effect on final adult height was never established, and growth gains were smaller than with growth hormone itself.1

In healthy older adults (the use clinics promote). Only a few small, short studies exist, and they were read here as summaries (abstracts) only:

  • In 10 healthy older men, two weeks of treatment raised growth hormone and IGF-1 to levels seen in young men, but only at the higher of two amounts tested. The study did not measure body fat, muscle or daily function.2
  • In 11 healthy men aged 64 to 76, a 6-week study with no comparison group found nighttime growth hormone rose, but IGF-1 did not change. Weight, body fat and muscle (measured by scan) did not change. Two of six strength measures improved, which could be chance.3
  • A 5-month study of 19 adults aged 55 to 71 used a closely related compound, not sermorelin itself. IGF-1 rose at first and then drifted back toward baseline. Lean body mass rose in men only.4

These studies were tiny, short and mostly in men. They measured hormone levels and body scans, not how people felt or did over time. Their results also disagree: one raised IGF-1 and another did not.23 No randomized trial of sermorelin in healthy adults has measured health outcomes such as disease, falls, function or lifespan. A raised lab number is not the same as a health benefit.

Much of the case for using sermorelin in aging adults came from a 2006 editorial. It argued from how the hormone system works, not from outcome data. The author’s society also offered free sermorelin to practitioners.5

For comparison, see tesamorelin, a related compound that went through large trials for one specific use.

FDA and regulatory status

Past approval. Sermorelin was sold in the U.S. as Geref. FDA approved it in 1990 for testing whether the pituitary can release growth hormone, and in 1997 for treating one type of growth hormone deficiency in children with growth failure.6 FDA has noted that no growth hormone secretagogue (a substance that prompts growth hormone release) has ever been approved to treat growth hormone deficiency in adults.7

Discontinued. The maker told FDA in 2008 that it was stopping both products. FDA withdrew the approvals effective June 18, 2009.6

2013 decision. In a notice published March 4, 2013, FDA determined Geref was not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness. That allows FDA to approve generic versions if other legal requirements are met.6 The decision is about why the product left the market. It does not approve adult or anti-aging use. As of November 12, 2026, FDA’s Drugs@FDA data listed only the two original Geref applications for sermorelin, both marked discontinued, and no generic version.8

Compounding. As of May 14, 2026, sermorelin is not on FDA’s list of drugs barred from compounding because they were found unsafe or ineffective. It is also not in any of FDA’s 503A nomination categories.910 Under federal law, a traditional (503A) pharmacy may compound from a substance that is a component of an FDA-approved drug.11 We did not find an FDA statement on how that rule applies to sermorelin, whose only approved product was discontinued. Ask any provider how their product is legally sourced. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and do not get FDA review for safety, effectiveness or quality before sale. See compounded vs. FDA-approved peptides.

Florida. Florida pharmacy and prescribing rules also apply. See are peptides legal in Florida?.

Sport. The World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2026 Prohibited List names sermorelin among GHRH analogues that are banned at all times.12

Common side effects and safety

In the children’s research, sermorelin was described as well tolerated. Brief facial flushing and pain where the shot was given were the most common side effects.1

The small adult studies reported no significant side effects, or only a brief rise in blood fats.34 Those studies were far too small and short to find rare or long-term harms. No long-term safety data exist for sermorelin in adults.

Because sermorelin works by raising growth hormone, researchers note that the general cautions for growth hormone may apply, such as effects on blood sugar and fluid retention. This has not been studied for sermorelin specifically. Talk with a provider about any history of cancer, diabetes, pregnancy or pituitary problems, and report any symptom that worries you.

Typical cost range

No FDA-approved sermorelin product is sold today, so there is no official list price. What people pay for compounded sermorelin depends on the pharmacy, how long it is used, and whether a clinic bundles it with visits, lab work or a membership. Insurance often does not cover it for wellness uses. Prices vary between clinics and pharmacies. Ask any provider for a written price breakdown before you start.

Ask for a written breakdown of what is included. Our cost guide covers what to ask.

Questions to ask a provider

  • What goal are we treating, and what human evidence supports sermorelin for that goal?
  • The approved uses were in children. What makes you think it will help an adult like me?
  • Do I need lab work, such as IGF-1 and blood sugar, before starting? How often will you recheck it?
  • Which licensed pharmacy makes it, and is it a 503A or 503B pharmacy?
  • How will we know if it is working, and when would we stop?
  • Is there an FDA-approved option or another approach to consider? See peptides vs. TRT and HRT.
  • What is the total monthly cost, and what does it include?

For more on choosing a provider, see how to vet a peptide clinic.

Footnotes

  1. 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(2):139-157. doi:10.2165/00063030-199912020-00007. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18031173/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  2. Corpas E, Harman SM, Piñeyro MA, 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(2):530-535. doi:10.1210/jcem.75.2.1379256. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1379256/ ↩ ↩2

  3. Vittone J, Blackman MR, Busby-Whitehead J, et al. Effects of single nightly injections of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29) in healthy elderly men. Metabolism. 1997;46(1):89-96. doi:10.1016/s0026-0495(97)90174-8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9005976/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. Khorram O, Laughlin GA, Yen SS. Endocrine and metabolic effects of long-term administration of [Nle27]growth hormone-releasing hormone-(1-29)-NH2 in age-advanced men and women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1997;82(5):1472-1479. doi:10.1210/jcem.82.5.3943. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9141536/ ↩ ↩2

  5. Walker RF. Sermorelin: a better approach to management of adult-onset growth hormone insufficiency? Clin Interv Aging. 2006;1(4):307-308. doi:10.2147/ciia.2006.1.4.307. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2699646/ ↩

  6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Determination that GEREF (sermorelin acetate) injection were not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness. Fed Regist. 2013;78(42):14095-14096. Accessed November 2026. https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2013-04827 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  7. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA briefing document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee meeting, December 4, 2024: CJC-1295-related bulk drug substances. Accessed November 2026. https://www.fda.gov/media/183819/download ↩

  8. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Drugs@FDA data (openFDA drugsfda endpoint): sermorelin. Data updated November 12, 2026. Accessed November 2026. https://api.fda.gov/drug/drugsfda.json ↩

  9. Drug products withdrawn or removed from the market for reasons of safety or effectiveness. 21 CFR 216.24. eCFR. Accessed November 2026. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-216.24 ↩

  10. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bulk drug substances nominated for use in compounding under section 503A of the FD&C Act. Updated May 14, 2026. Accessed November 2026. https://www.fda.gov/media/94155/download ↩

  11. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Bulk drug substances used in compounding under section 503A of the FD&C Act. Content current May 14, 2026. Accessed November 2026. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/bulk-drug-substances-used-compounding-under-section-503a-fdc-act ↩

  12. World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List (2026). Accessed November 2026. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list ↩

Frequently asked questions

Is sermorelin the same as growth hormone?

No. Sermorelin does not supply growth hormone. It signals the pituitary gland to release the body's own growth hormone.

Is sermorelin FDA-approved?

Not today. A brand called Geref was once approved, but only for testing the pituitary and for one type of growth hormone deficiency in children. The maker stopped selling it in 2008, and FDA withdrew the approvals in 2009. It was never approved for adults or for anti-aging.

Did sermorelin leave the market because it was unsafe?

In 2013, FDA said the product was not withdrawn for safety or effectiveness reasons. That decision explains why it left the market. It does not approve any adult use.

Does sermorelin help with aging, fat loss or muscle?

Only a few very small, short studies in older adults exist. They mostly measured hormone levels. One found no change in body fat or muscle. No trial has shown health benefits in healthy adults.

Can athletes use sermorelin?

No. The World Anti-Doping Agency names sermorelin on its 2026 Prohibited List, banned at all times.

Questions? Talk to a licensed provider

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