HGH: what it is, what the studies show and where it stands
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.
At a glance
US Approved, prescription
Canada Authorized, prescription
Group Growth hormone
Sources 10
Checked 10 Oct 2026What is HGH?
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).
Looking for doses? HGH dosage chart and vial math
Is HGH approved in the US and Canada?
United States: 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. [7]
Canada: Authorized by Health Canada. Genotropin, Omnitrope, Saizen, Norditropin FlexPro and Serostim are listed as marketed in the Drug Product Database. [8]
Both were checked on 10 Oct 2026 against the regulators' own product databases.
Which approved products contain HGH?
| Product | Country | Approved for | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humatrope (6 mg, 12 mg and 24 mg cartridges) | US | Children: growth failure from too little growth hormone, short stature with Turner syndrome, idiopathic short stature, SHOX deficiency, and short stature in children born small for gestational age with no catch-up growth. Adults: replacement of growth hormone in adults with growth hormone deficiency. | Label |
What human studies of HGH exist?
The 7 findings listed here: 6 from randomized human trials and 1 from smaller or observational human studies.
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]
What are the side effects of HGH?
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]
Warnings on 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]
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. [1]
How does HGH compare with others in its group?
These are the peptides filed under growth hormone. The last column says whether a randomized human trial is on record for each.
| Peptide | US | Canada | Half-life | Randomized human trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ipamorelin | Not approved | Not authorized | Terminal half-life of about 2 hours after a 15-minute intravenous infusion in healthy men. No human figure after injection under the skin was found. | Yes |
| CJC-1295 without DAC | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| CJC-1295 with DAC | Not approved | Not authorized | Estimated at 5.8 to 8.1 days in healthy adults after injection under the skin. | Yes |
| Sermorelin | No longer sold | Not authorized | Disappearance half-time of about 4.3 minutes after a 90-minute intravenous infusion in 10 healthy men. No human half-life after injection under the skin was found in the abstracts read. | Yes |
| Tesamorelin | Approved for one use | No longer sold | About 8 minutes in healthy adults after one 1.4 mg dose of Egrifta SV under the skin. Other labels give other figures for other formulations and conditions (see also). | Yes |
| IGF-1 LR3 | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| GHRP-2 | Not approved | Not authorized | About 0.55 hours (33 minutes) for the slower phase after a single dose into a vein in 10 children. No human half-life after injection under the skin was found in the abstracts read. | Yes |
| GHRP-6 | Not approved | Not authorized | After a single dose into a vein in nine healthy men: distribution half-life about 7.6 minutes, elimination half-life about 2.5 hours. No human half-life after injection under the skin was found. | No |
| HGH | Approved, prescription | Authorized, prescription | 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. | Yes |
What could not be found
These were searched for and did not turn up. They are listed so a missing number is not mistaken for a hidden one.
- 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.
HGH 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.
Has HGH been tested in a randomized human trial?
Yes. At least one randomized human trial is listed on this page.
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.
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HGH dosageGrowth hormoneStatus in Canada
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