Sermorelin: What It Is, What It's Studied For, and Side Effects

Sermorelin comes up often in conversations about growth hormone, sleep, and body composition. The research behind it is older and smaller than most people expect. Much of it dates to the 1990s, and the adult trial most often cited enrolled 19 people.

What is sermorelin?

Sermorelin is a lab-made peptide made of the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). GHRH is the signal your hypothalamus sends to the pituitary gland to release growth hormone.

Sermorelin does not contain growth hormone. It acts on the pituitary's GHRH receptors, which prompts the pituitary to release the body's own growth hormone. Because the pituitary is still in the loop, the body's normal feedback controls stay in place. A 2006 editorial in Clinical Interventions in Aging (Walker) discusses this feedback point as a reason researchers have been interested in GHRH-based approaches for adults.

How sermorelin has been studied

In children. Most of the early clinical work looked at children with growth hormone deficiency. A 1999 review in BioDrugs (Prakash and Goa) describes two uses: as a diagnostic test of pituitary response, and as a daily injection in some prepubertal children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency. The review reported that sermorelin was well tolerated in those studies, and that the most commonly reported side effects were short-lived facial flushing and pain at the injection site.

In older adults. A 1997 randomized, placebo-controlled trial in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (Khorram, Laughlin, and Yen) gave 19 adults aged 55 to 71 a closely related GHRH(1-29) analog every night for 16 weeks. The researchers measured:

• Higher nighttime growth hormone release in both men and women
• A rise in IGF-1, a marker of growth hormone activity, that drifted back toward baseline by 16 weeks
• Increased skin thickness in both men and women
• Increased lean body mass and insulin sensitivity in men, but not in women
• No change in sleep quality in either group
• Temporary changes in blood lipids, which resolved by the end of the study

Individual results vary. This was a small study with a short follow-up, and it used a related analog rather than a compounded sermorelin preparation. The sleep finding is worth noting, since sleep is one of the most common reasons people ask about sermorelin.

What the research has not shown

There are no large, long-term trials of sermorelin in healthy adults. Whether it changes energy, recovery, body composition, or sleep over the long run has not been established. Oral sermorelin has even less published human data. Peptides are usually broken down in the digestive tract, so how much an oral form is absorbed is an open question.

Sermorelin options at NUVARA

A NUVARA physician may consider two forms:

• Sermorelin Injection. Compounded medication. Not FDA-approved.
• Sermorelin Tablets (Oral). Compounded medication. Not FDA-approved.

Compounded medications are prepared for one patient from a prescription, and the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness, or quality before they are dispensed. Your physician decides whether either form fits your health history and gives you instructions for use.

Common side effects

Side effects reported with sermorelin include:

• Pain, redness, or swelling where the injection was given
• Facial flushing
• Headache
• Nausea
• Dizziness

Get medical care right away for signs of an allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face or throat, hives, or trouble breathing. Report any side effect that lingers to your care team.

Who sermorelin is not for

Sermorelin may not be appropriate if you:

• Are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding
• Have active cancer or a history of cancer, since the growth hormone and IGF-1 system is involved in cell growth
• Have untreated thyroid problems, which can affect how the pituitary responds
• Have diabetes or prediabetes that is not well controlled, since growth hormone affects blood sugar
• Have had an allergic reaction to sermorelin or any ingredient in the preparation
• Are under 18

Your physician may order lab work, such as IGF-1, before or during a prescription.

How ordering works at NUVARA

Start online from home. A U.S.-licensed physician reviews your intake, usually within 24 hours. Your first visit includes a brief live telehealth call to establish care, and refills are usually reviewed online.

If your physician prescribes sermorelin, the prescription is prepared by one of our US-based partner pharmacies, a state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacy, and shipped to you. NUVARA is not a pharmacy and does not prepare medications. A prescription is required and approval is not guaranteed. Your card is authorized when you order and charged only if the physician approves. If not, the hold is released.

See the Sermorelin Injection page. Compounded medication. Not FDA-approved.

Frequently asked questions

What is sermorelin used for?

Sermorelin was studied mainly in children with growth hormone deficiency and in small trials in older adults. Physicians may prescribe it to support the body's own growth hormone release. Its long-term effects in healthy adults have not been established.

What are sermorelin benefits?

In a small 1997 trial of a closely related analog, older adults had higher nighttime growth hormone and IGF-1, and men had more lean mass. Sleep quality did not change. Individual results vary.

What are the side effects of sermorelin?

The most commonly reported side effects are injection-site pain or redness and facial flushing. Headache, nausea, and dizziness have also been reported.

Does oral sermorelin work?

There is very little published human research on oral sermorelin. Ask your physician whether an oral form makes sense for you.

How is sermorelin different from tesamorelin?

Both act on GHRH receptors. Tesamorelin is a modified, full-length GHRH analog with its own separate research history. NUVARA has a separate guide on tesamorelin.

What is the FDA status of sermorelin?

Sermorelin at NUVARA is a compounded medication. Not FDA-approved. Consult with your MyNuvara Health physician about whether it fits your health history.

References

1. Walker RF. Sermorelin: a better approach to management of adult-onset growth hormone insufficiency? Clin Interv Aging. 2006;1(4):307-308. PubMed 18046908 · doi:10.2147/ciia.2006.1.4.307
2. 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. PubMed 18031173 · doi:10.2165/00063030-199912020-00007
3. 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. PubMed 9141536 · doi:10.1210/jcem.82.5.3943

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Medical disclaimer: This article is for general education only and is not medical advice. It does not replace an evaluation by a licensed clinician. Talk with your MyNuvara Health physician before starting, stopping, or changing any medication. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911.