Former label (children)
Label- Dose
- 30 mcg/kg
- How often
- Once daily at bedtime
- How long
- Ongoing; studied for 12–36 months
Geref, for children with GH deficiency. Growth gains held over 12 months. Not an adult dose.
Human studiesGHRH analog
Sermorelin
GRF 1-29, formerly Geref
- Common dose
- 200–300 mcg nightly
- Cycle
- No set cycle
- Vial sizes
- 5, 10 mg
- Typical draw
- 10 units5 mg with 2.5 mL, 200 mcg
A synthetic copy of the first 29 amino acids of growth-hormone-releasing hormone. It prompts the pituitary to release its own growth hormone.
Evidence. Formerly FDA-approved (Geref) for children with GH deficiency. Discontinued in 2008; FDA later found it wasn’t withdrawn for safety or effectiveness reasons.
Status
- Approval
- Formerly approved in the US as Geref (diagnostic, 1990; GH deficiency in children, 1997). Discontinued in 2008, not for safety or effectiveness reasons.
- Sport (WADA 2026)
- Banned in sportS2.2.4 growth hormone releasing factors: GHRH and its analogues, with sermorelin named. Banned at all times.
Sport status follows the WADA Prohibited List in force since January 1, 2026; athletes should confirm with their anti-doping organization. Checked October 5, 2026.
Protocol
Label
Former Geref label
Children with GH deficiency: 30 mcg/kg once daily at bedtime.
Community
Adults: 200–300 mcg nightly; some start at 100 mcg.
- Frequency
- Once nightly
- Route
- Subcutaneous injection
- Timing
- At bedtime on an empty stomach.
- Cycle
- No established cycle. Clinics often run 3–6 months, then reassess.
No set cycle, shown over 26 weeks
Common protocols
The ways Sermorelin is most often run, each tagged with where it comes from.
Adult clinic
Community- Dose
- 200–300 mcg (some start at 100)
- How often
- Once nightly
- How long
- 3–6 months, then reassess
Common clinic practice; there is no approved adult dose.
Draw 10–15 units5 mg + 2.5 mL
Dosing by body weight
Label30 mcg/kg. Former Geref dose for children with GH deficiency, once daily at bedtime. Don’t scale to adults.
At 70 kg, per dose2.1 mg1.05 mL at 5 mg + 2.5 mL
Taking it
Where it goes
Subcutaneous injection at bedtime. The former label said to rotate injection sites.
If you miss a dose
The former label text gives no missed-dose rule. Skip it and take the next dose at the usual bedtime; don’t double up.
What to expect
- First 12 months (children)
Height velocity rose significantly and held for 12 months, with catch-up growth in most GH-deficient children.
Trial - Up to 36 months
Data in a few children suggest the growth effect is maintained.
Trial - During treatment
Lab tests may show higher GH, IGF-1, alkaline phosphatase and phosphorus.
Label
Side effects and what to do
Injection-site pain, swelling or redness (label: about 1 in 6)
The most common reaction. Rotate sites.
Brief facial flushing (label: under 1% with nightly shots)
Transient; one of the most reported effects across studies.
Headache, dizziness, hyperactivity or sleepiness (label: each under 1%)
Uncommon. Stop and check in if it persists.
Hives (label: under 1%)
May signal allergy. Stop if it spreads or comes with swelling or breathing trouble.
Low thyroid (label: 6.5% developed hypothyroidism)
The label called for thyroid tests before starting and during treatment.
Stop and get medical help
Hives with face, lip or throat swelling, or trouble breathing: stop and get emergency care.
Tracking and pairing
Worth tracking
- Thyroid (TSH, free T4) before and during
- IGF-1
- Fasting glucose
Often paired with
Usually run on its own.
Human studies
5 key published human studies, with how many people took part. Animal studies aren’t listed here.
-
Height velocity rose from 4.1 to 8.0 cm per year at 6 months and 7.2 cm per year at 12 months; no change in fasting glucose.
- Design
- Multicenter open-label study in prepubertal children with GH deficiency (86 analyzed)
- Dose
- 30 mcg/kg subcutaneous once daily at bedtime
- Length
- Up to 1 year
Thorner et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996 (Geref International Study Group), PMID 8772599
-
Growth was slowest on the low dose; the high dose matched GH for height velocity, but only GH improved height for bone age.
- Design
- Randomized comparison with GH in children with hypothalamic GH deficiency
- Dose
- 30 or 60 mcg/kg per day subcutaneous in 3 doses, vs GH 0.1 IU/kg per day
- Length
- 6 months
Neyzi et al., Acta Paediatr Suppl 1993, PMID 8329826
-
Nocturnal GH rose, but IGF-1, body composition and glucose did not change; 2 of 6 strength measures improved.
- Design
- Uncontrolled study in healthy men aged 64 to 76
- Dose
- 2 mg subcutaneous nightly
- Length
- 6 weeks
Vittone et al., Metabolism 1997, PMID 9005976
-
The 1 mg dose raised 24-hour GH and IGF-1 in older men to young-adult levels; fasting glucose did not change.
- Design
- Randomized-order two-dose study in 10 older men, with 9 young men as baseline controls
- Dose
- 0.5 mg or 1 mg subcutaneous twice daily
- Length
- 14 days per dose
Corpas et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1992, PMID 1379256
-
Height velocity rose from 3.3 to 6.0 cm per year, less than the 7.5 cm per year seen on GH the following year.
- Design
- Multicenter uncontrolled study in children with radiation-induced GH deficiency
- Dose
- 15 mcg/kg subcutaneous twice daily
- Length
- 1 year
Ogilvy-Stuart et al., Clin Endocrinol 1997, PMID 9231053
Mixing your vial
| Vial | Water | Common dose | Draw | Strength | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | 2.5 mL | 200 mcg | 10 units (0.10 mL) | 2 mg/mL | |
| 10 mg | 3 mL | 200 mcg | 6 units (0.06 mL) | 3.333 mg/mL |
Dose chart
Syringe units for common doses at different water volumes. Select a cell to open it in the calculator.
| Dose | Water added | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 2 mL | 2.5 mL | 3 mL | |
| 100 mcg | ||||
| 150 mcg | ||||
| 200 mcg | ||||
| 250 mcg | ||||
| 300 mcg | ||||
U-100 insulin syringe: 100 units is 1 mL. Draws over 100 units show in mL. Faded values are under 2 units, which is hard to measure. Check that your vial holds the larger volumes.
Datasheet
- Half-life
- about 6 to 7 minutes LabelAfter IV injection, per the former Geref 50 diagnostic label (Ireland). An RxList sermorelin monograph gives 11 to 12 minutes after IV or subcutaneous use.
- Type
- Peptide, 29 amino acids
- Molecular weight
- 3,357.9 g/mol
- Formula
- C149H246N44O42S
- Sequence
- YADAIFTNSYRKVLGQLSARKLLQDIMSR-NH2
- Storage before use
- Refrigerate at 2–8 °C and protect from light (former Geref label).
- After mixing or opening
- The former label gives no in-use period after mixing. Common practice: fridge, use within about 4 weeks.
- Half-life: Geref 50 SPC (Serono, HPRA Ireland, 2006)
- Molecule: PubChem CID 16132413
- Storage: Label Geref 50 SPC (Serono, HPRA Ireland, 2006)
Cautions
- Facial flushing and injection-site pain were most common in Geref studies.
- Stimulates the GH axis: avoid with active cancer and watch blood sugar.
- The pediatric per-kg dose shouldn’t be scaled up to adults.
Questions
What is sermorelin?
A synthetic copy of the first 29 amino acids of growth-hormone-releasing hormone. It prompts the pituitary to release its own growth hormone.
Is sermorelin FDA-approved?
Formerly approved in the US as Geref (diagnostic, 1990; GH deficiency in children, 1997). Discontinued in 2008, not for safety or effectiveness reasons.
What is the usual sermorelin dose?
From the label (Former Geref): Children with GH deficiency: 30 mcg/kg once daily at bedtime. From community reports, not established: Adults: 200–300 mcg nightly; some start at 100 mcg. These are the amounts sources reference, not recommendations.
How much water do I mix sermorelin with?
There’s no single right amount, because the water only sets the strength. With 2.5 mL of bacteriostatic water in a 5 mg vial, the strength is 2 mg/mL, so 200 mcg is 10 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. More water makes small doses easier to measure. The dose chart above shows other volumes.
What is the half-life of sermorelin?
About 6 to 7 minutes, according to the prescribing information. After IV injection, per the former Geref 50 diagnostic label (Ireland). An RxList sermorelin monograph gives 11 to 12 minutes after IV or subcutaneous use.
How should sermorelin be stored?
Before mixing: Refrigerate at 2–8 °C and protect from light (former Geref label). The former label gives no in-use period after mixing. Common practice: fridge, use within about 4 weeks.
Is sermorelin banned in sport?
Yes. S2.2.4 growth hormone releasing factors: GHRH and its analogues, with sermorelin named. Banned at all times.
Has sermorelin been studied in people?
Yes. The human studies section lists 5 published studies. The largest, from 1996, included 110 people. Height velocity rose from 4.1 to 8.0 cm per year at 6 months and 7.2 cm per year at 12 months; no change in fasting glucose.
Sources
- Federal Register: Geref not withdrawn for safety reasons (2013)
- Prakash & Goa, sermorelin review (BioDrugs 1999) doi:10.2165/00063030-199912020-00007
For the protocol details
- Prakash & Goa, sermorelin review (BioDrugs 1999, PubMed) PMID 18031173
- RxList: sermorelin acetate (Geref label text)
Doses tagged Community come from public dosing guides and user reports, checked against at least two of them. Those sites aren’t named here because many of them sell peptides or earn commissions on them.