Sermorelin
Also known as · GHRH(1-29) · GRF 1-29 · Geref (withdrawn 2008)
- EvidenceApproved
- CategoryGHRH
- RoutesubQ / IV
- Half-life~10–12 min
01 / Dosing schedule
Cited dosing
Sermorelin was FDA-approved as Geref Diagnostic for adult GHD (1 mcg/kg single IV) and Geref Pediatric for short stature (30 mcg/kg/day subQ). Both brands were withdrawn from the US market in 2008. Adult therapeutic use today is from compounding pharmacies at the published research doses shown below.
Geref Diagnostic — adult GH-reserve test
| Phase | Dose & frequency |
|---|---|
| Standard dose | 1 mcg/kg as a single IV injection |
| Route | Intravenous |
| Purpose | Provocative GH stimulation testing |
Source · FDA medical review — Geref Diagnostic (referenced in Egrifta review) ↗
Adult research schedule (clinical literature)
| Phase | Dose & frequency |
|---|---|
| Typical starting dose | 200–300 mcg subQ at bedtime |
| Frequency | Once daily (5–7 nights per week) |
| Monitoring | IGF-1 at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, then every 3–6 months |
Source · Corpas E et al. Human GH-releasing hormone(1-29) in older men. JCEM 1992 ↗
Source indication · Diagnostic assessment of pituitary GH reserve; pediatric GH deficiency. Adult daily use is not the approved indication.
- Injection frequency
- Diagnostic: single dose. Adult research use: once daily at bedtime.
- Injection sites
- Abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites.
02 / Reconstitution
Reconstitution reference
Research-grade sermorelin typically ships as a 5 mg or 10 mg lyophilized vial. A common prep is 5 mg with 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 2.5 mg/mL (2500 mcg/mL). At that concentration, a 250 mcg dose is 0.1 mL = 10 units on a U‑100 syringe.
03 / Overview
Protocol overview
Sermorelin is a synthetic analog of the first 29 amino acids of endogenous GHRH — the minimum active fragment. It stimulates the pituitary to release growth hormone in a physiologic, pulsatile pattern.
The FDA-approved brand (Geref) was withdrawn from the US market in 2008. Adult therapeutic use today is entirely off the original label and sourced from compounding pharmacies.
Bedtime dosing is common because endogenous GH pulses peak during slow-wave sleep. The ~10–12 minute plasma half-life makes sermorelin a short trigger rather than a sustained agent.
Long-term efficacy and safety data at adult research doses are limited compared to somatropin. IGF-1 response is the standard surrogate marker.
04 / References