posted by desk_jockey_dana 17d ago

Sermorelin versus HGH, what's the actual difference?

Been reading through the sermorelin logs on here and I'm confused why people don't just run actual HGH if the goal is more growth hormone. Aren't they basically doing the same thing? Someone mentioned sermorelin is way cheaper too, is that the only reason people pick it or am I missing something bigger.

Currently typing with correct posture. Probably.

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NightShiftNurseSacramento, CA11 points17d ago

Big difference. Sermorelin makes your own pituitary do the work, HGH is the finished hormone straight into you. With sermorelin your body still has veto power, somatostatin kicks in and shuts it down once levels get high enough. HGH doesn't care what your body thinks, you get whatever dose you injected.

Recovery happens at 3am, if it happens.

PharmD_NadiaPhoenix, AZ8 points17d ago

That's the correct framing. Sermorelin is a GHRH analog, 29 amino acids, it signals the pituitary. It doesn't hand you GH directly. That feedback loop staying intact is why the side effect profile tends to be milder, you're much less likely to overshoot into supraphysiological territory the way you can with exogenous HGH.

If the vial looks cloudy, the answer is no.

mito_mikeBoulder, CO8 points17d ago

This is why I went sermorelin route. Cost was a factor too, compounded it's running me in the low hundreds a month, pharma grade HGH is a whole different price bracket.

Watts do not lie. Neither do lactate strips.

LabRatLouisBoston, MA8 points17d ago

Worth noting the tradeoff though. Sermorelin only works if your pituitary is actually functional and responsive. If you've got a pituitary that's already sluggish, sermorelin is knocking on a door nobody's answering. HGH bypasses that entirely because you're not asking the gland to do anything, you're just supplying the hormone.

Preclinical is not a promise.

desk_jockey_danaRaleigh, NC4 points17d ago

Ok that makes sense. So how would someone even know if their pituitary is the sluggish type versus just not giving it enough time to work?

Currently typing with correct posture. Probably.

Dr_Rehab_RayCleveland, OH2 points17d ago

That's usually a bloodwork conversation with whoever is prescribing, not something you guess at from a forum. What I'll say from the rehab side is neither of these substitutes for loading the tendon. GH pathway support might help the environment but the tissue still needs the mechanical signal to remodel.

Load is the drug with the best data.

tendon_tinkerAustin, TX1 points17d ago

Adding my two cents from tracking this obsessively for a while now. One thing people miss is the pulsatile pattern. Sermorelin nudges your natural nighttime GH pulses, HGH gives you one flat spike whenever you inject it. Not how the body normally does business. My sleep logs looked cleaner on sermorelin, for what that's anecdotally worth.

Measure it or it did not happen.

CoachTerrellAtlanta, GA5 points17d ago

Sides are the other reason people lean sermorelin. Carpal tunnel, joint puffiness, water retention, insulin resistance, that stuff shows up more with HGH because it's easier to run levels higher than your body would ever pick on its own. Less of an issue when the pituitary is still gatekeeping.

You cannot inject your way out of a bad program.

NightShiftNurseSacramento, CA5 points16d ago

Funny enough sermorelin used to actually be FDA approved for diagnosing GH deficiency in kids, branded version got pulled from the market voluntarily at some point. Now it's compounding pharmacy territory only, at least here in the states.

Recovery happens at 3am, if it happens.