Library / Growth hormone

Sermorelin

Also known as Geref, GRF 1-29 NH2, GHRH (1-29)

Approved medicine

Synthetic version of the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone releasing hormone, which prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone. Was approved for childhood growth hormone deficiency before being withdrawn from the market.

Not approved in Australia. Sermorelin is not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and is no longer marketed in the United States. Only a prescriber can decide whether a medicine suits you and at what dose. This page is information, not a recommendation.

Background

Synthetic copy of the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), the shortest fragment with full activity. GHRH was identified in the early 1980s; sermorelin was marketed as Geref for diagnosing and treating growth hormone deficiency in children and later discontinued.

How it is thought to work

Acts on the pituitary gland to release the body's own growth hormone in pulses, which then raises IGF-1. It only works if the pituitary can still make growth hormone.

What is claimed, and the evidence

Claim	Evidence	Notes
Diagnostic test for growth hormone deficiency	Approved use	Former US approval (Geref); product discontinued.
Treats growth failure in children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency	Approved use	Former US approval. Growth was less than with somatropin in comparative data, and a Chinese randomised trial found it less effective than growth hormone.
Anti ageing, better sleep, fat loss or muscle gain in healthy adults	No published evidence	Widely marketed by clinics; no good quality trials show these benefits in healthy adults.
Faster injury recovery or athletic performance	No published evidence	No published controlled evidence.

Side effects

Effect	How often	Notes
Facial flushing	Common	Most commonly reported with injection in reviews of paediatric use.
Injection site pain or irritation	Common	Commonly reported.
Antibodies against GHRH	Common	Developed in almost all children on continuous infusion in one trial; faded after stopping.
Headache	Uncommon	Reported in clinical use.
Effects of raised growth hormone and IGF-1 with long term use Serious	Frequency unknown	Long term safety in healthy adults has not been studied.

Warnings

No sermorelin product is currently approved by the TGA or FDA; products sold now are compounded or unregulated.
In Australia it is Schedule 4 with extra possession controls (Appendix D).
Raising growth hormone may be unsafe with active cancer; long term effects in adults are unknown.
Unapproved products are not made to medicine standards and may be contaminated, underdosed, overdosed or contain a different substance from the label; the TGA warns that injected unapproved peptides carry risks including contamination, infection and local tissue damage.

Regulatory status

Australia: Not found on the ARTG. Schedule 4 in the Poisons Standard (listed by name), with Appendix D clause 5 possession controls under the growth hormone releasing hormone class entry.
United States: Previously FDA approved (Geref) for diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone deficiency in children; no current product found in Drugs@FDA (discontinued).

Sources

Also in Growth hormone

From the VialOwl library, reviewed 26 September 2026. For education and general information. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation to use Sermorelin.