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Sermorelin vs Ipamorelin: What the Research Shows

Sermorelin and Ipamorelin side by side: what they are, how they are regulated and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureUpdated
GHRH analogCompounded by prescriptionSermorelinGHRH analog once FDA-approved as Geref and since discontinued; in an uncontrolled pediatric study mean height velocity rose from 4.1 to 8.0 cm/yr after 6 months.[17]Growth hormoneFlat YoYGHRP (ghrelin receptor agonist)Not FDA approved · research chemicalIpamorelinGhrelin-receptor agonist peptide, not FDA-approved; in a randomized trial after bowel resection, median time to first tolerated meal was 25.3 versus 32.6 hours with placebo.[14]Growth hormone+70% searches
Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider Sermorelin if…

  • you want human data in growth-hormone-deficient children, though uncontrolled: Mean height velocity rose from 4.1 cm/yr at baseline to 8.0 cm/yr at 6 months and 7.2 cm/yr at 12 months (open-label, no control group).[17]

Consider Ipamorelin if…

  • you want the option with a randomized human trial, though it found no significant difference from placebo (postoperative ileus): median time to first tolerated meal was 25.3 h vs 32.6 h[14]

What they have in common

  • Sermorelin's only FDA record is Geref, listed with marketing status Discontinued[18]
Sermorelin is not FDA approved. Both are prohibited in tested sport (WADA). Status labels come from public FDA and WADA records; see the sources below.
Side by side

Spec comparison

Showing 10 of 14 fields where the two differ. Category, PCAC vote, Jul 2026, WADA, Evidence strength are the same or both unknown.

FieldSermorelinIpamorelin
ClassGHRH analogGHRP (ghrelin receptor agonist)
Also called—ipa, ipam
FDA statusCompounded by prescriptionNot FDA approved · research chemical
Anti-doping detection
  • A urine assay detects CJC-1295 and other GHRH analogues at very low concentrations.PMID 35298973
  • Labs expect GHRH analogues like CJC-1295 to be hard to find because of tiny urine concentrations; the study reports no detections in routine anti-doping samples.PMID 34665524
  • After nasal dosing, ipamorelin metabolites were still found in urine after the parent drug was gone (samples were collected for 2 days).PMID 25869809
  • A direct-urine screen includes ipamorelin among the peptides it can detect, at 50 to 500 pg/mL.PMID 26578461
Half-lifeNo published half-life foundPubMed search, 2 Oct 20262 hours terminal half-lifeintravenous infusion (15 min) · Pharmaceutical research 1999, PMID 10496658
Human studies we summarised4 human (1 randomized or controlled) of 7 summarised2 human (2 randomized or controlled) of 12 summarised
Typical study doses
Vial sizes sold2 mg, 5 mg, 9 mg, 15 mg2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg
US searches per month165,000 · Flat YoY49,500 · +70% searches
Named in FDA warning letters, 2026Not in the letters we trackYes (24 Aug 2026)

Bracketed values are pending a sourced figure. Legal data reflects the regulatory events in our tracker.

Taken together?

Sold mixed: Sermorelin + Ipamorelin

These blends put both in one vial. The blend calculator works out the dose of each component per draw. Evidence for the combination: No studies tested these together (PubMed search: 5 results, 2 Oct 2026).

Blend calculator
Sermorelin + IpamorelinSermorelin + IpamorelinBlend mathStackSermorelin + Ipamorelin, taken as separate injectionsStack page

Sources

  1. 1FDA warning letters to five research-peptide sellersFDA warning letter (NuScience Peptides; 1 of 5) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3An antibody-free, ultrafiltration-based assay for the detection of growth hormone-releasing hormones in urine at low pg/mL concentrations using nanoLC-HRMS/MS.Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis · 2022PMID 35298973Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4Advances in the detection of growth hormone releasing hormone synthetic analogs.Drug testing and analysis · 2021PMID 34665524Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5Growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone-(1-29) twice daily reverses the decreased GH and insulin-like growth factor-I levels in old men.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 1992PMID 1379256Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6Growth Hormone Secretagogue Treatment in Hypogonadal Men Raises Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Levels.American journal of men's health · 2017PMID 28830317Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7Effects of single nightly injections of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29) in healthy elderly men.Metabolism: clinical and experimental · 1997PMID 9005976Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8PubMed search: (sermorelin[tiab] OR Geref[tiab]) (34 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9PubMed search: (sermorelin[tiab] OR "GHRH(1-29)"[tiab] OR "GRF(1-29)"[tiab] OR "GHRH 1-29"[tiab]) AND (elderly[tiab] OR aging[tiab] OR "older adults"[tiab] OR adults[tiab]) AND (treatment[tiab] OR therapy[tiab] OR administration[tiab]) (15 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10PubMed search: (sermorelin[tiab] OR Geref[tiab]) AND (half-life[tiab] OR pharmacokinetic*[tiab]) (2 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11Determination of growth hormone releasing peptides metabolites in human urine after nasal administration of GHRP-1, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Hexarelin, and Ipamorelin.Drug testing and analysis · 2015PMID 25869809Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12Simplifying and expanding the screening for peptides <2 kDa by direct urine injection, liquid chromatography, and ion mobility mass spectrometry.Journal of separation science · 2016PMID 26578461Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers.Pharmaceutical research · 1999PMID 10496658Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14Prospective, randomized, controlled, proof-of-concept study of the Ghrelin mimetic ipamorelin for the management of postoperative ileus in bowel resection patients.International journal of colorectal disease · 2014PMID 25331030Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  15. 15The growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a agonists, anamorelin and ipamorelin, inhibit cisplatin-induced weight loss in ferrets: Anamorelin also exhibits anti-emetic effects via a central mechanism.Physiology & behavior · 2024PMID 39043357Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  16. 16PubMed search: (ipamorelin[tiab]) AND (sermorelin[tiab] OR Geref[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  17. 17Once daily subcutaneous growth hormone-releasing hormone therapy accelerates growth in growth hormone-deficient children during the first year of therapy. Geref International Study Group.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 1996PMID 8772599Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  18. 18Drugs@FDA (openFDA) search: active ingredient "sermorelin"U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2026api.fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026

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