{"id":"sermorelin","name":"Sermorelin","aliases":["GHRH(1-29)","Geref"],"url":"https://lyoresearch.com/compounds/sermorelin","summary":"Sermorelin is the first 29 amino acids of growth-hormone-releasing hormone — the active fragment. It was FDA-approved in 1990 as Geref for diagnosing growth-hormone deficiency in children, and the brand was withdrawn in 2008 for commercial reasons, not safety. It reliably raises growth hormone and IGF-1. The adult anti-ageing and body-composition claims rest on small open-label studies, not randomised trials.","overall_grade":"C","overall_grade_meaning":"weak human evidence","human_trials":"Approved paediatric use; small adult studies","regulatory_status":"Withdrawn (US brand)","outcomes":[{"outcome":"Growth hormone / IGF-1 elevation","grade":"A","grade_meaning":"established in humans","effect_size":"moderate","adverse":false,"human_studies":"Approval-grade paediatric data","evidence":"The basis of the 1990 approval as a diagnostic agent: a reliable, measurable GH response. Open-label adult series report IGF-1 rises over 3–6 months.","references":[{"citation":"Sermorelin evidence review: Geref approval history, withdrawal, and adult off-label data.","where":"Evidence review, 2026","url":"https://trimrx.com/blog/sermorelin-research-review/"}]},{"outcome":"Body composition in adults","grade":"C","grade_meaning":"weak human evidence","effect_size":"small","adverse":false,"human_studies":"Small studies, mostly open-label","evidence":"A few small trials and open-label series report modest changes; no adequately powered randomised trial in healthy adults.","references":[{"citation":"Sermorelin evidence review: Geref approval history, withdrawal, and adult off-label data.","where":"Evidence review, 2026","url":"https://trimrx.com/blog/sermorelin-research-review/"}]},{"outcome":"Sleep quality","grade":"D","grade_meaning":"no human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":false,"human_studies":"Anecdotal / small","evidence":"Frequently claimed; the supporting human data is minimal and uncontrolled.","references":[]},{"outcome":"Safety in adults","grade":"C","grade_meaning":"weak human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":true,"human_studies":"Compounding-era use","evidence":"Long clinical familiarity from the paediatric era and compounded adult use; no modern controlled long-term dataset.","references":[]}],"regions":[{"region":"United States","status":"Brand withdrawn; available via compounding","note":"Geref discontinued 2008 for commercial reasons. 503A compounding pharmacies continue to supply it for off-label adult use."},{"region":"European Union","status":"Not authorised","note":"No current EU marketing authorisation."},{"region":"Sport (WADA)","status":"Prohibited","note":"GH-releasing factors are banned at all times."},{"region":"Canada","status":"Not authorised","note":"No Health Canada authorisation."}],"faq":[{"q":"Is sermorelin FDA-approved?","a":"It was, from 1990, as Geref — for diagnosing growth-hormone deficiency in children. The brand was withdrawn in 2008 for commercial reasons. It is not currently an approved product, though US compounding pharmacies supply it."},{"q":"Does sermorelin work for anti-ageing?","a":"It raises growth hormone and IGF-1, which is well established. Whether that produces the outcomes marketed under \"anti-ageing\" has not been shown in a randomised adult trial."},{"q":"Sermorelin or CJC-1295?","a":"Sermorelin has the regulatory history and a short half-life requiring daily dosing. CJC-1295 lasts far longer but never gained approval and has thinner human evidence. Neither has adult outcome trials."}],"references":[{"cite":"Sermorelin evidence review: Geref approval history, withdrawal, and adult off-label data.","where":"Evidence review, 2026","url":"https://trimrx.com/blog/sermorelin-research-review/","note":"Secondary source used for approval and withdrawal history; adult RCT data described as limited."}],"last_reviewed":"2026-09-02","literature_searched_to":"2026-09-02","changelog":[{"date":"2026-09-02","note":"Initial publication. Hormone-elevation outcome graded A on approval-grade data; adult body-composition claims graded C."}],"license":"CC BY 4.0 — cite as “LYO Research” with a link.","methodology":"https://lyoresearch.com/methodology"}