Guides / Sermorelin benefits and side effects
Sermorelin benefits and side effects
The benefits claimed for sermorelin set against what published studies found, the side effects those studies reported, and the safety questions that remain open.
Last revised November 12, 2026. This page is not medical advice.
Benefits claimed and what studies found
| Claim | What the studies in older adults found |
|---|---|
| Raises growth hormone | Yes, in all three studies.123 |
| Raises IGF-I | At the higher of two twice-daily doses over 14 days, yes.1 With one nightly injection over 6 weeks, no.2 Over 16 weeks it rose, then returned toward baseline.3 |
| Builds muscle | Lean mass increased in men only after 16 weeks.3 Scan measures of muscle did not change after 6 weeks.2 |
| Increases strength | Two of six strength measures improved after 6 weeks.2 |
| Burns fat | No change in fat or weight after 6 weeks, and no change in body composition other than lean mass in men after 16 weeks.23 |
| Improves sleep | Sleep quality was unaffected after 16 weeks.3 |
| Improves skin | Skin thickness increased in men and women after 16 weeks.3 |
| Improves well-being and libido | In men, not in women.3 |
These studies treated 10 to 19 adults for 14 days to 16 weeks. One of them used a modified analog, not sermorelin itself.
Side effects reported
A review of sermorelin in children, the use for which it was approved, describes it as well tolerated, with transient facial flushing and pain at the injection site as the most commonly reported adverse events.4
In the adult studies, six weeks of nightly injections produced no significant adverse effects.2 In the 16-week study the only adverse effect was a transient rise in blood lipids, which resolved by the end of the study.3 Fourteen days of twice-daily injections did not affect fasting glucose, blood pressure or routine blood tests.1
For the wider class of growth hormone secretagogues, a 2018 review found them well tolerated in the studies available, with some concern about increases in blood glucose caused by reduced insulin sensitivity.5 A 2026 review of peptides acting on the growth hormone axis lists, among reported adverse effects, disturbances of blood sugar, fluid retention, muscle and joint pain and injection-site reactions.6
Open safety questions
The 2018 review states that the safety of these compounds with long-term use, including cancer incidence and mortality, still needs to be evaluated.5 A 2008 review notes that older adults are more sensitive to the side effects of growth hormone, and that the balance of benefits and risks in normal aging remained uncertain.7
The product itself is a second unknown. Sermorelin sold online is compounded, and the FDA does not verify the safety, effectiveness or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed.8
What we could not source
The FDA no longer publishes the prescribing information for Geref, the approved sermorelin product discontinued in 2008, and we could not read it. We therefore do not list contraindications or drug interactions here. Ask the prescriber, and tell them about every condition you have and every medication you take.
Sources
- Corpas E, 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):530-5. Read November 12, 2026.
- Vittone 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. Read November 12, 2026.
- 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):1472-9. Read November 12, 2026.
- 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):139-57. Read November 12, 2026.
- Sigalos JT, Pastuszak AW. The Safety and Efficacy of Growth Hormone Secretagogues. Sex Med Rev. 2018;6(1):45-53. Read November 12, 2026.
- Dominikowski A, et al. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2026;17:1822475. Read November 12, 2026.
- Hersch EC, Merriam GR. Growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone and GH secretagogues in normal aging: Fountain of Youth or Pool of Tantalus? Clin Interv Aging. 2008;3(1):121-9. Read November 12, 2026.
- FDA, Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers. Read November 12, 2026.
Nothing on this page is medical advice. See the medical disclaimer.