Growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue

Sermorelin

aka sermorelin acetate · GHRH(1-29) · GRF(1-29)NH2

Evidence grade
Grade C: Preliminary human data
for adult growth-hormone 'optimisation', sleep and body composition
User score everyone · n = 48
US FDA Approval withdrawn checked 2026-11-13
WADA 2026 Prohibited (S2.2.4) at all times · checked 2026-11-13
EU Ireland's regulator records a previously authorized diagnostic sermorelin product as withdrawn in 2007; current EU-wide authorization was not found. · checked 2026-11-13

Goals: Sleep · Fat loss · Muscle & strength Compare with another peptide →

User reports

approximate — combined from two independent Reddit reads

Men 45–60

1 man aged 45–60

small sample · n = 1

Outcome mixed 1 of 1

Benefits energy 1 of 1 · fat loss 1 of 1 · focus / cognition 1 of 1 · muscle 1 of 1 · sleep 1 of 1

Side effects gi upset 1 of 1 · vivid dreams 1 of 1

Stopped 0 of 1 Used with other compounds 0 of 1

All men

7 men

small sample · n = 7

Outcome mixed 2 of 7 · no effect 2 of 7 · positive 2 of 7 · negative 1 of 7

Benefits muscle 2 of 7 · sleep 2 of 7 · energy 1 of 7 · fat loss 1 of 7 · focus / cognition 1 of 7 · other 1 of 7

Side effects other 2 of 7 · fatigue 1 of 7 · gi upset 1 of 7 · joint pain 1 of 7 · vivid dreams 1 of 7

Why stopped side effects 2 of 7 · no effect 1 of 7

Stopped 3 of 7 Used with other compounds 4 of 7

Everyone

48 people

  • Positive: 16 of 48 (33%)
  • Mixed: 10 of 48 (21%)
  • Negative: 16 of 48 (33%)
  • No effect: 3 of 48 (6%)
  • Unclear: 3 of 48 (6%)
Benefits reported of 48
Benefits reported (n = 48)
ItemReports
Fat loss13 of 48 (27%)
Sleep13 of 48 (27%)
Muscle7 of 48 (15%)
Recovery5 of 48 (10%)
Endurance4 of 48 (8%)
Energy3 of 48 (6%)
Other3 of 48 (6%)
Skin3 of 48 (6%)
Side effects reported of 48
Side effects reported (n = 48)
ItemReports
Other13 of 48 (27%)
Insomnia9 of 48 (19%)
Injection site5 of 48 (10%)
Vivid dreams4 of 48 (8%)
Fatigue3 of 48 (6%)
Flushing2 of 48 (4%)
Joint pain2 of 48 (4%)
More hunger2 of 48 (4%)
Why people stopped of 48
Why people stopped (n = 48)
ItemReports
Side effects10 of 48 (21%)
Cost1 of 48 (2%)
No effect1 of 48 (2%)

Stopped 12 of 48 (25%) Used with other compounds 9 of 48 (19%)

User reports are anecdata, not evidence: self-selected, unverified, often combined with other compounds.

In their words

  • “Sleep improved dramatically and quickly. I sleep deeper, dream more and wake more rested.”

  • “I’m about 9 weeks along, and am shedding weight so fast it’s almost scary.”

  • “I started recently, and when I took it before bed like recommended, it absolutely wrecked my sleep.”

  • “I tried it for 4 months didn't do anything. $180 for 10 weeks at my clinic. It's a pain to travel with”

  • “I take the Sermorelin injections at home on top of the T. Total game changer of the T journey by adding Sermorelin.”

  • “I am a male and had the same reaction, 2+ months into my first run with Sermorelin. Not quite as severe as you”

  • “I ran sermorelin for 8 months... I've never been able to cut fat from my waist like I did on sermorelin. Sleep gains too.”

Read summaries and method notes

Read 1. One man aged 45–60: a 59M reported a mixed but largely beneficial experience — fast, deeper sleep and more rested waking, then better energy, focus and body composition, with GI changes and vivid dreams. Across 11 users fat loss was common, but poor sleep was a notable counter-pattern (bedtime dosing "absolutely wrecked" one user's sleep). Courses from days to about 11 weeks; two users combined it with tirzepatide.

Read 2. No man aged 45–60. Six men (mostly on TRT): 2 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative, 2 no effect after 4 months. Everyone (n=37, 9 threads) is split: 13 positive, 5 mixed, 14 negative — better sleep (11) within a week, fat loss (7), muscle (6) at 4–16 weeks. Side effects were common and often forced a stop (12 stopped, 10 for side effects): 13 delayed hypersensitivity/systemic reactions (intense itching of palms and soles, mast-cell/IgE reactions 6–12 weeks in), injection-site welts (5), insomnia above 200–300 mcg (4). Allergic sensitization may cross-react with CJC-1295 and tesamorelin. Three of nine threads were about side effects, inflating negatives.

Note 1. Only one explicitly male reporter. Sleep effects ran in opposite directions; some fat-loss reports were confounded by tirzepatide or lifestyle changes.

Note 2. One seed thread was unavailable and one was on r/BodyHackGuide (excluded). Three threads focused on adverse effects, raising negative/allergic counts above an unselected sample.

Each read counted people independently. Overlap between the two reads is estimated from shared threads and removed; counts are approximate. How we count.

Summary

Synthetic analog of GHRH (first 29 aa). Maintains natural GH feedback loops. Historical clinical use includes selected pediatric GH deficiency and diagnostic testing. Beginner suitability and greater long-term safety than CJC-1295 are not established by comparative trials.

Safety

  • Injection-site reactions and flushing can occur
  • Known hypersensitivity to sermorelin or its formulation was a contraindication in the historical diagnostic label
  • Comparative long-term safety against other secretagogues is unestablished

From labels, regulators and trials. No signal in small studies ≠ safe.

Evidence C adult growth-hormone 'optimisation', sleep and body composition

C stands. The former US approval was for growth in GH-deficient children (a different use, and the products are discontinued), so it does not count toward the adult wellness grade. Adult studies are small, with no body-composition benefit in one and worse self-reported sleep in another.

Human trials · 3

  1. PMID 87725991996Multicenter open-label study 110 people

    Previously untreated prepubertal children with GH deficiency; 86 were evaluable for efficacy

    Mean height velocity increased during one year, without a placebo control. Source

  2. PMID 90059761997Uncontrolled before-and-after study 11 people

    Healthy older men

    Nighttime GH increased over six weeks; body composition did not significantly change. Source

  3. PMID 163992142006Placebo-controlled study 89 people

    Healthy older adults

    Some cognitive test measures improved over six months; this does not establish treatment of cognitive disease or sleep benefit. Source

Bar length = trial size on a log scale.

Dose ranges

Reported ranges from labels and studies, with context. Not a recommendation.

  • clinical trial
    30 micrograms/kg subcutaneously once daily for up to one year in GH-deficient children Source
  • clinical trial
    14 micrograms/kg subcutaneously each evening for six months in studies of older adults Source
  • historical diagnostic label
    1 microgram/kg as a single intravenous diagnostic injection Source on a non-primary host — not linked

Editorial ratings EDITORIAL

Editors’ judgement, 0–5. Opinion, not data; separate from grade and user score.

  • Safety 4 out of 5
  • Sleep 4 out of 5
  • Recovery not rated —
  • Cognitive not rated —

Sources

  1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8772599/
  2. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9005976/
  3. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16399214/
  4. fda.gov/media/94164/download
  5. wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026list_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf
  6. hpra.ie/find-a-medicine/for-human-use/authorised-medicines/details/16600
  7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3181657/
  8. accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2017/205598Orig1s000MedR.pdf
  9. accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2010/022505Orig1s000MedR.pdf
  10. fda.gov/media/183819/download
  11. fda.gov/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-calendar/july-23-24-2026-meeting-pharmacy-c

Reddit threads read · 12

2 further sources on commercial or non-primary hosts not listed.

Research checked 2026-11-13.