Somatropin (HGH)

Human growth hormone. As a drug it is somatropin, the 191-amino-acid hormone made by recombinant DNA with the same sequence as the pituitary's own, sold as Genotropin, Norditropin, Omnitrope, Humatrope and other brands.

Neither in the usual sense. It is a protein hormone of 191 amino acids, far larger than research peptides, and it works through the GH receptor and IGF-1, not the androgen receptor.

For adults with diagnosed GH deficiency, labels start at about 0.2 mg a day (0.15 to 0.3 mg) and adjust every 1 to 2 months by IGF-1. Off-label, community ranges are 1 to 2 IU a day for wellness, 2 to 4 IU for fat loss and 4 to 8 IU for bodybuilding. In mg those community ranges run from 0.33 to 2.67 mg a day (3 IU per mg), well above the label starting dose.

3 IU. That is the labelling convention for somatropin, which is why a Humatrope 6 mg cartridge is also labelled 18 IU.

With a 10 IU vial and 1 mL of bacteriostatic water, 2 IU is 20 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. With 2 mL of water it is 40 units. Use the calculator for your own vial.

Under the skin of the thigh, buttocks or abdomen, per the Genotropin label, rotating sites every day to prevent fat loss under the skin. Humatrope also lists the back of the upper arm.

About 2.5 to 4 hours after a subcutaneous shot, depending on the brand, and about 0.4 hours given IV. The SC figure is longer because it absorbs slowly from the injection site.

Yes. Brand labels say 2 to 8 C before and after mixing, protected from light, and never frozen. A few products allow limited room-temperature time, such as Norditropin FlexPro for 3 weeks in use at up to 25 C.

It depends on the product: 28 days for Genotropin and Humatrope cartridges, 21 days for an Omnitrope vial, 14 or 28 days for Zomacton vials depending on the diluent. One guide gives 14 to 21 days for generic vials in bacteriostatic water.

In adult trials the most common were swelling of hands and feet, joint pain, limb pain, tingling and stiffness, usually early and eased by a lower dose. Labels also warn about high blood sugar, carpal tunnel, raised skull pressure, thyroid and cortisol changes and pancreatitis.

No trial has compared them for body composition. Many Reddit users moved to morning shots because evening doses woke them at night; others dose at bedtime with no problem. Above 3 to 4 IU, people commonly split the dose.

Only modestly, at a cost. A review of trials in healthy older adults found about 2 kg less fat and 2 kg more lean mass with no weight change, plus more edema, joint pain, carpal tunnel and breast growth. The authors concluded GH cannot be recommended for anti-aging.

Trials in young, fit adults found more lean mass but no gain in strength or exercise capacity, and more swelling and fatigue.

It is prescribed for diagnosed conditions on the label: GH deficiency in adults or children, children's growth disorders, and HIV wasting. US law bars distributing it for other uses, even with a doctor's order.

It is a prescription drug. Under 21 U.S.C. 333(e), knowingly distributing it, or holding it to distribute, for a use FDA has not authorized carries up to 5 years in prison, or 10 if a minor is involved.

Yes. WADA prohibits growth hormone, its analogues and fragments at all times.

Peptides make your pituitary release its own GH in pulses, capped by the body's feedback. Injected HGH supplies the hormone directly, gives a larger effect and suppresses your own production.