HGH dosage: IU chart, label schedule and vial math
The FDA label for Humatrope starts adults with growth hormone deficiency at about 0.2 mg a day (0.6 IU), within a range of 0.15 to 0.3 mg, and adjusts every 1 to 2 months. Child doses are set by body weight. Somatropin is an approved prescription drug in the US and Canada.
Legal status
US Approved, prescription
Canada Authorized, prescription
Checked 10 Oct 2026What is HGH?HGH dosage chart
Label scheduleThis vial is labelled in IU, so the doses are in IU too. Each row shows the volume to draw and the mark on a U-100 syringe. Syringe units are a volume mark, not IU.
| Dose | Volume | Syringe units | 0.3 mL syringe | 0.5 mL syringe | 1 mL syringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.45 IU | 0.09 mL | 9 units | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 0.6 IU | 0.12 mL | 12 units | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 0.9 IU | 0.18 mL | 18 units | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Source Schedule from the FDA label for Humatrope (somatropin), adult growth hormone deficiency, non-weight-based dosing: start at about 0.2 mg a day, range 0.15 to 0.3 mg. Shown in IU at 3 IU per mg, the ratio on the same label (6 mg is 18 IU). Child doses are set by body weight. Vial math is arithmetic.
If you add a different amount of water
The marked row is the one used above. Red cells are under 5 units or over 100.
| Water | Strength | 0.45 IU | 0.6 IU | 0.9 IU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 10 IU per mL | 4.5 units | 6 units | 9 units |
| 2 mL | 5 IU per mL | 9 units | 12 units | 18 units |
| 3 mL | 3.33 IU per mL | 13.5 units | 18 units | 27 units |
How many doses are in the vial
Whole doses in one 10 IU vial.
| Dose | Doses |
|---|---|
| 0.45 IU | 22 doses |
| 0.6 IU | 16 doses |
| 0.9 IU | 11 doses |
What HGH is
Somatropin is human growth hormone made by recombinant DNA technology. It is a protein of 191 amino acids with the same sequence as the growth hormone made by the human pituitary. [1]
Other names: somatropin, human growth hormone, growth hormone, recombinant human growth hormone, rhGH, Humatrope, Genotropin, Norditropin, Omnitrope, Saizen.
How it has been given to people: injection under the skin, once daily (the US Humatrope label gives 6 or 7 days a week for children).
What to know before reading a dose
- The label dose for adults is small: about 0.2 mg a day (0.6 IU) to start, range 0.15 to 0.3 mg (0.45 to 0.9 IU). A 10 IU vial is about 3.3 mg.
- Label doses are in mg. The IU numbers on this page use 3 IU per mg, the ratio printed on the Humatrope label (6 mg is 18 IU).
- Doses for children are set by body weight and by condition. They are not flat doses.
- The Humatrope label says it is not indicated for the treatment of non-GH deficient adults.
- The label reports higher mortality in critically ill adults given 5.3 to 8.0 mg a day in two placebo-controlled studies.
- Reviews of randomized trials did not support growth hormone for anti-aging [3] or for athletic performance [5]. The 2007 review states that distributing it as an antiaging agent is illegal in the United States.
- WADA Prohibited List 2026, section [2].2.3, prohibits growth hormone, its analogues and fragments at all times [9].
Doses on record for HGH
Every dose below was given in a human study or printed on an approved label, and each links to its source. Doses set by body weight are left that way.
| From | Where it was used | Dose | How often | For how long | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Label | Humatrope (US), adults with growth hormone deficiency, non-weight-based starting dose | about 0.2 mg (range 0.15 to 0.3 mg) | once daily | ongoing, adjusted to response and IGF-1 | [1] |
| Label | Humatrope (US), adults, non-weight-based dose steps | steps of about 0.1 to 0.2 mg a day | one step every 1 to 2 months | until the maintenance dose is found | [1] |
| Label | Humatrope (US), adults, weight-based regimen (the label does not recommend it for obese patients) | 0.006 mg/kg, up to a maximum of 0.0125 mg/kg | once daily | ongoing | [1] |
| Label | Humatrope (US), children with growth hormone deficiency | 0.18 to 0.3 mg/kg a week (0.026 to 0.043 mg/kg a day) | weekly amount split into equal doses on 6 or 7 days | until the growth plates close | [1] |
| Label | Humatrope (US), children born small for gestational age, the highest weekly dose on the label | up to 0.47 mg/kg a week (up to 0.067 mg/kg a day) | weekly amount split into equal doses on 6 or 7 days | until the growth plates close | [1] |
| Human study | Six-month study in older men with low IGF-I, with an untreated comparison group (phase not stated in the abstract) | about 0.03 mg/kg | three times a week | 6 months | [2] |
| Human study | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of growth hormone with or without sex steroids (phase not stated in the abstract) | 30 mcg/kg to start, reduced to 20 mcg/kg | three times a week | 26 weeks | [6] |
| Human study | Randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded trial in recreational athletes, growth hormone alone or with testosterone (phase not stated in the abstract) | 2 mg | once daily | 8 weeks, then a 6-week washout | [4] |
What the evidence shows
Each finding is tagged by the kind of study it comes from. Human trials are listed first.
A systematic review of randomized trials in healthy older people (220 treated participants) found small body composition changes and more adverse events. [3]
The same review concluded that growth hormone cannot be recommended as an antiaging therapy. [3]
In healthy people aged 65 to 88, growth hormone raised lean mass and lowered fat mass, but the authors said its use in the elderly should stay inside controlled studies because adverse effects were frequent. [6]
In recreational athletes on 2 mg a day for 8 weeks, sprint capacity went up; endurance, strength and power did not change significantly. [4]
That gain in sprint capacity was gone 6 weeks after the drug was stopped. [4]
A systematic review of randomized trials in fit young people found that growth hormone raised lean body mass but that claims of better physical performance are not supported. [5]
In 12 older men treated for six months, lean body mass rose 8.8% and fat mass fell 14.4%. The comparison group of 9 men was untreated, not given placebo. [2]
Side effects and warnings
Reported in human studies or on a label:
- Humatrope label, common reactions in adults and children: upper respiratory infection, fever, sore throat, headache, ear infection, swelling, joint pain, tingling, muscle pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, flu syndrome, low thyroid function, high blood sugar and impaired glucose tolerance. [1]
- In adults with adult-onset deficiency, the first 6 months of blinded studies showed edema in 17% on Humatrope against 4% on placebo, and peripheral edema in 12% against 0%. [1]
- In healthy older people, those given growth hormone were more likely to get soft tissue swelling, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and breast enlargement in men. [3]
- In the 26-week trial in older adults, diabetes or glucose intolerance occurred in 18 men given growth hormone against 7 men not given it. [6]
- In fit young people, those given growth hormone had soft tissue swelling and fatigue more often. [5]
From the label
- Not for patients with acute critical illness after open heart surgery, abdominal surgery or multiple accidental trauma, or with acute respiratory failure. [1]
- Two placebo-controlled studies in 522 critically ill adults without growth hormone deficiency found higher mortality on somatropin at 5.3 to 8.0 mg a day (42% against 19%). [1]
- Not for anyone with active cancer. [1]
- Not for anyone with active proliferative or severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. [1]
- Not for children whose growth plates have closed. [1]
- The label says the product is not indicated for adults who are not growth hormone deficient. [1]
- It can lower insulin sensitivity, more so at higher doses. [1]
- Raised pressure inside the skull has been reported, usually within the first 8 weeks. [1]
- Fluid retention (swelling, joint and muscle pain, carpal tunnel syndrome) is usually short-lived and depends on the dose. [1]
- People taking estrogen by mouth may need higher doses. [1]
- The label's section on abuse says inappropriate use can harm health. [1]
Storage
Humatrope (US): refrigerate cartridges and diluent at 2 to 8 C (36 to 46 F) and keep them in the carton, away from light. A reconstituted cartridge keeps for up to 28 days in the refrigerator and should not be frozen. [1]
HGH dosage questions
Is HGH approved in the US?
FDA approved. Drugs@FDA lists somatropin products at prescription status under ten applications, among them Humatrope, Genotropin, Norditropin FlexPro, Nutropin, Omnitrope, Saizen, Serostim, Zomacton and Zorbtive.
Is HGH authorized in Canada?
Authorized by Health Canada. Genotropin, Omnitrope, Saizen, Norditropin FlexPro and Serostim are listed as marketed in the Drug Product Database.
What is the half-life of HGH?
About 3.8 hours after an injection under the skin in healthy subjects. The label says this long figure reflects slow absorption from the injection site.
What does the Humatrope (6 mg, 12 mg and 24 mg cartridges) label say about dose?
Adults, non-weight-based: start at about 0.2 mg a day (range 0.15 to 0.3 mg a day) and raise by about 0.1 to 0.2 mg a day every 1 to 2 months. Adults, weight-based: start at 0.006 mg/kg a day, maximum 0.0125 mg/kg a day. Children: 0.18 to 0.47 mg/kg a week depending on the condition, split over 6 or 7 days.
Sources
Each one was opened on 10 Oct 2026 and matched to the line it supports.
- Humatrope (somatropin) for injection, US prescribing information, Eli Lilly and Company, label version 45 2026-08-20. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.
- Rudman D et al. Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old. N Engl J Med 1990. PubMed 2355952.
- Liu H et al. Systematic review: the safety and efficacy of growth hormone in the healthy elderly. Ann Intern Med 2007. PubMed 17227934.
- Meinhardt U et al. The effects of growth hormone on body composition and physical performance in recreational athletes: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2010. PubMed 20439575.
- Liu H et al. Systematic review: the effects of growth hormone on athletic performance. Ann Intern Med 2008. PubMed 18347346.
- Blackman MR et al. Growth hormone and sex steroid administration in healthy aged women and men: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2002. PubMed 12425705.
- Drugs@FDA via openFDA: applications with active ingredient somatropin US Food and Drug Administration. api.fda.gov.
- Health Canada Drug Product Database: products with active ingredient somatropin, with status lookups Health Canada. health-products.canada.ca.
- The Prohibited List (2026 list as shown on the WADA website) World Anti-Doping Agency. wada-ama.org.
- Unauthorized injectable peptide drugs seized and sold by Canada Peptide may pose serious health risks Health Canada 2025-08-01. recalls-rappels.canada.ca.
Looked for and not found
- A label that doses somatropin in IU. The US Humatrope label doses in mg and gives the IU content of each cartridge (6 mg is 18 IU), which is 3 IU per mg. The IU figures in the chart are that conversion.
- Canadian product monographs were not opened. Label doses, warnings, side effects and storage in this file come from the US Humatrope label only.
- The other US somatropin labels (Genotropin, Norditropin, Nutropin, Omnitrope, Saizen, Serostim, Zomacton, Zorbtive) were not read in full. Doses for conditions that Humatrope is not approved for, such as HIV wasting or short bowel syndrome, are not recorded here.
- Any approved use in adults who are not growth hormone deficient for aging, body composition or athletic performance. None was found, and the Humatrope label says it is not indicated for non-GH deficient adults.
- A human half-life for a 10 IU vial product sold outside pharmacies. The half-life here is from the Humatrope label.
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