What is somatropin (HGH)?

What is somatropin (HGH)?

Somatropin is recombinant human growth hormone: a 191-amino-acid protein identical to the GH the body produces itself. It is dosed in international units (IU) or milligrams, subcutaneously and daily.

It is studied in growth hormone axis, recovery and body-composition research. Research results vary with dose and duration; it is a compound for laboratory research only.

Mechanism of action

Somatropin is recombinant human growth hormone: a 191-amino-acid protein with the same sequence as pituitary GH, produced in bacteria or mammalian cells. It binds the GH receptor in the liver and in peripheral tissues; the liver responds by producing IGF-1, which mediates most of the anabolic effects, and GH itself has direct effects on lipolysis and glucose metabolism.

Because it is exogenous GH it bypasses the pituitary: at high doses it suppresses endogenous secretion and escapes the somatostatin brake, which is why the adverse effects (fluid retention, arthralgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, glucose disturbances) are dose-dependent and appear more readily than with the secretagogues.

It is dosed in international units or milligrams (3 IU is roughly equivalent to 1 mg) and subcutaneously, daily. In the clinical guidelines for adult GH deficiency, treatment starts at low doses and is adjusted according to IGF-1.

What the published research says

1. 1.
   Molitch et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2011PMID 21602453

   Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline for GH deficiency in adults: low starting doses (0.2–0.3 mg/day in most), adjustment by IGF-1 and monitoring of glucose, lipids and body composition.

2. 2.
   Falutz et al., N Engl J Med, 2007 (tesamorelin, reference)PMID 18057338

   Data on the secretagogue somatropin is compared with in visceral-fat research: endogenous stimulation preserves the IGF-1 regulation that exogenous GH overrides.

3. 3.
   Teichman et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006 (CJC-1295, reference)PMID 16352683

   The long-acting GHRH analogue; useful for comparing the magnitude and duration of the rise in GH and IGF-1 against direct administration of somatropin.

What side effects does somatropin (HGH) have?

• Fluid retention and joint or muscle discomfort: the most reported effects, generally dose-dependent.
• Numbness or tingling in the hands, similar to carpal tunnel syndrome, which settles at lower doses.
• Changes in glucose handling reported in the research literature.

How is somatropin (HGH) dosed?

It is dosed daily and titrated slowly upwards from a low start: a common research progression starts at 1–2 IU a day and climbs to around 4 IU. The pen is set in IU; no measuring or mixing is needed.

How do you get somatropin (HGH)?

Body Pharm does not currently have somatropin in its catalogue. This page serves as research information only. For research use only.

How much does somatropin (HGH) cost per month?

This compound is not currently in the Body Pharm catalogue.

How it compares

Somatropin is not part of Body Pharm's Spanish catalogue; this page describes it as a mechanistic reference. Against the secretagogues in the catalogue, tesamorelin and CJC-1295 + ipamorelin, it supplies GH directly rather than stimulating the body's own, with a more potent and less self-regulated effect.

In research, the choice between one class and the other depends on whether the protocol needs a stimulated pulsatile profile, which preserves feedback, or a direct exogenous load that overrides it.

• How somatropin is dosed (reference guide)
• What is tesamorelin?
• What is CJC-1295 + ipamorelin?