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HGH and IGF-1 LR3 Together: What Is Known

HGH and IGF-1 LR3 taken together: what each one is, how each is regulated, and what is known about combining them.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureUpdated
Recombinant growth hormoneFDA approved (prescription only)HGHRecombinant human growth hormone, FDA-approved by prescription; in a randomized trial, 4 weeks of supraphysiological dosing did not improve power output or oxygen uptake.[12]Growth hormoneIGF-1 analogNot FDA approved · research chemicalIGF-1 LR3IGF-1 LR3, a long-acting IGF-1 analog with no published human trial; in rats it was 2.5 to 3 times more potent than IGF-I at restoring growth.[13]Growth hormone
Interaction notes

Timing, interactions and safety

Evidence for the combination

No studies tested these together (PubMed search: 0 results, 2 Oct 2026).

We have no sourced data on taking these two together. Ask the prescriber who manages both.
Each component

Side by side

Showing 9 of 11 fields where the two differ. Category, PCAC vote, Jul 2026 are the same or both unknown.

FieldHGHIGF-1 LR3
ClassRecombinant growth hormoneIGF-1 analog
Also calledGH, growth hormone, generic HGH, IULR3
FDA statusFDA approved (prescription only)Not FDA approved · research chemical
WADAProhibited by WADA (S2.2.3)Growth hormone and its analogues and fragments are prohibited at all times (S2.2.3).Prohibited by WADA (S2.3)IGF-1 and its analogues (LR3 is an IGF-1 analogue) are prohibited in S2.3, at all times.
Half-life0.4 hours IV; 3.0 hours subcutaneousintravenous (normal adults); subcutaneous (GHD adults), Genotropin · FDA label (Genotropin)563 min half-life in wound fluid (versus 872 min for IGF-I)wound chamber (rat) (rat) · The American journal of physiology 1999, PMID 10198302
Evidence strengthHuman RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: Journal of applied physiology 2014, PMID 24235105Human observational evidence, 3 of 4Strongest: Growth hormone & IGF research 2010, PMID 20675162
Human studies we summarised13 human (13 randomized or controlled) of 20 summarised1 human (0 randomized or controlled) of 12 summarised
Typical study doses
US searches per month74,000 · +39% searches22,200 · +230% searches
Related tools

HGH vs IGF-1 LR3

Choosing between the two rather than combining them? The comparison lines them up field by field.

Open the comparison
ComparisonIGF-1 LR3 vs HGH

What people search

  • hgh igf 1 lr3 stack40/mo
  • igf 1 lr3 and hgh together20/mo
  • hgh igf 1 lr320/mo
  • igf 1 lr3 with hgh10/mo
  • hgh with igf 1 lr310/mo
  • hgh and igf 1 lr3 together10/mo

US monthly searches, Google Keyword Planner, Oct 2026. Shown so you can see which questions this page answers.

Sources

  1. 1World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2GENOTROPIN (SOMATROPIN) KIT [PFIZER LABORATORIES DIV PFIZER INC]FDA label (Genotropin), DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3Effect of growth hormone on aging connective tissue in muscle and tendon: gene expression, morphology, and function following immobilization and rehabilitation.Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) · 2014PMID 24235105Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4Impact of GH replacement therapy on sleep in adult patients with GH deficiency of pituitary origin.European journal of endocrinology · 2013PMID 23447518Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5Local administration of growth hormone stimulates tendon collagen synthesis in elderly men.Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) · 2012PMID 22961272Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6Clearance of IGFs and insulin from wounds: effect of IGF-binding protein interactions.The American journal of physiology · 1999PMID 10198302Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7Detection of His-tagged Long-R³-IGF-I in a black market product.Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society · 2010PMID 20675162Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8IGF-1 LR3 does not promote growth in late-gestation growth-restricted fetal sheep.American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism · 2025PMID 39679943Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9Intranasal long R3 insulin-like growth factor-1 treatment promotes amyloid plaque remodeling in cerebral cortex but fails to preserve cognitive function in male 5XFAD mice.Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2025PMID 39610283Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10Insulin-like growth factor-I and analogues increase growth in artificially-reared neonatal pigs.The British journal of nutrition · 2002PMID 12067429Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11PubMed search: (somatropin[tiab] OR "recombinant human growth hormone"[tiab] OR "recombinant growth hormone"[tiab] OR rhGH[tiab] OR "growth hormone therapy"[tiab] OR "growth hormone treatment"[tiab] OR "growth hormone replacement"[tiab] OR "growth hormone administration"[tiab] OR "GH therapy"[tiab] OR "GH treatment"[tiab] OR "GH replacement"[tiab] OR "GH administration"[tiab] OR "growth hormone injection"[tiab] OR "growth hormone injections"[tiab] OR "growth hormone supplementation"[tiab]) AND ("Long R3"[tiab] OR (LR3[tiab] AND (IGF[tiab] OR "IGF-1"[tiab] OR "IGF-I"[tiab] OR "insulin-like growth factor"[tiab])))PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12Short-term administration of supraphysiological recombinant human growth hormone (GH) does not increase maximum endurance exercise capacity in healthy, active young men and women with normal GH-insulin-like growth factor I axes.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2005PMID 15784718Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13Insulin-like growth factor-I and more potent variants restore growth of diabetic rats without inducing all characteristic insulin effects.The Biochemical journal · 1993PMID 7683875Accessed 2 Oct 2026

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