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Sermorelin

A signal, not growth hormone itself.

Compounded sermorelin, prescribed following evaluation by a licensed provider and administered at home.

Sermorelin is not human growth hormone (HGH). Sermorelin is a synthetic analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It is a different medication from HGH and is not supplied, prescribed, or represented as HGH.

Starting at $135/month$113/month with quarterly plan

Intro price applies to your first month, then $149/month. Quarterly plan billed $339 every 3 months.

Save $108 with the quarterly plan vs. paying $149/month

Your prescription, clearly explainedCompounded Sermorelin
Active ingredient
Sermorelin acetate
Drug class
Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analogue
Dosage form
Compounded solution for injection
Route
Subcutaneous injection
Volume
10 mL
Dosing
As prescribed by your provider
Storage
Follow your prescription label and pharmacy instructions
Prescription
Required
Fulfillment
Prepared and dispensed by VialsRX, a licensed U.S. pharmacy

The formulation shown is subject to your prescription and pharmacy availability.

What’s included

  • Provider review
  • Prescription, if appropriate
  • Compounded medication
  • Shipping
  • Syringes and alcohol pads
  • Ongoing care messaging
  • Temperature-controlled shipping
  • Provider review
  • Medication and supplies
  • Temperature-controlled delivery

Prescription required. Subject to provider approval. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.

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A provider-guided prescription you take from home.

  • Self-administered at home
  • Syringes and pads included
  • Provider reviewed

Why patients ask about sermorelin

Growth hormone (GH) is produced by the pituitary gland. Its release is controlled in part by growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), a signal from the hypothalamus. Sermorelin is related to this signaling pathway.

  • Growth hormone release

    Sermorelin is a synthetic analogue of GHRH that stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete the body's own growth hormone.

  • Pituitary signaling

    Rather than supplying growth hormone itself, sermorelin acts upstream, at the pituitary.

  • Hormone regulation

    Pituitary GH secretion is balanced between a stimulating signal, GHRH, and an inhibiting one, somatostatin.

  • Active research

    Growth hormone and GHRH signaling have been studied in areas including body composition, aging physiology and endocrine function.

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Model in an olive sweater standing in soft light beside a stone arch, eyes closed

A signal, not growth hormone itself

Sermorelin is a synthetic peptide: a 29-amino-acid analogue of naturally occurring human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It is the shortest synthetic peptide that keeps the full biological activity of GHRH, which is the ability to signal the pituitary to release growth hormone.

Your body's own GHRH travels from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland, which releases growth hormone into the bloodstream. Sermorelin acts on the same step, as a GHRH analogue at the pituitary.

Vivo Sermorelin — forest green glass vial with a silver collar and white cap, studio close-up
The biology, illustrated
Sermorelin and the growth hormone axisThe hypothalamus releases GHRH, which signals the pituitary gland to release the body's own growth hormone, which then acts on GH-responsive tissues. Sermorelin, a GHRH analogue, acts at the pituitary like GHRH does. HGH is different: it supplies growth hormone directly, bypassing the pituitary. Vivo does not offer HGH.Hypothalamusreleases GHRHPituitary glandGrowth hormoneyour body's ownGH-responsivetissuesSermorelinGHRH analogueacts whereGHRH actsHGHsupplies GH itselfbypasses thepituitary; notoffered by Vivo
How GHRH signaling reaches the pituitary, and where sermorelin acts. The figure describes physiology in the body, not an outcome of this medication.

Sermorelin is not HGH

Sermorelin and human growth hormone aren't the same medication.

Sermorelin signals the pituitary to release the growth hormone your body makes. Human growth hormone (HGH) is growth hormone itself. They work at different steps of the same pathway.

Sermorelin compared with human growth hormone, by mechanism
Compared onSermorelinGrowth hormone (HGH)
What it isGHRH analogueGrowth hormone
Primary actionStimulates pituitary GH releaseSupplies GH directly
Acts through the pituitaryYesNo
Supplies GH itselfNoYes
Vivo productCompounded sermorelinNot offered

This comparison explains differences in mechanism. It does not imply that sermorelin is safer, more effective or clinically equivalent to recombinant human growth hormone.

Provider-guided treatment, from home

This compares how care is delivered, not clinical effect.

Sermorelin treatment at home with Vivo compared with in-clinic care
Compared onAt home with VivoIn clinic
AdministrationSelf-administered subcutaneous injectionClinic-administered
Visit patternAt home, with remote follow-upScheduled visits
MedicationShipped to youDepends on the clinic
RoutineManaged at homeTied to appointments
Provider oversightIncludedVaries

Administration requirements and treatment protocols vary by provider and prescription.

Good to know

The questions people ask most. Open any one for the details.

Sermorelin, muscle and body composition

Growth hormone physiology is connected to body composition and metabolism, which is why the GH axis has been studied in these areas.

Clinical research involving growth hormone, GHRH-related compounds and specific patient populations cannot, on its own, establish that compounded sermorelin will increase lean muscle or reduce body fat in an otherwise healthy adult.

The fundamentals still matter

  • Resistance training
  • Adequate protein
  • Sleep
  • Nutrition
  • Appropriate medical evaluation
Sermorelin, sleep and recovery

Growth hormone secretion is closely tied to sleep: sleep is the most important factor setting the daily rhythm of GH release. That relationship is biologically interesting.

Research on sleep or recovery outcomes has to be read for the specific population, intervention, dose and route that was studied.

Designed for at-home administration

If sermorelin is prescribed, your medication arrives with the supplies needed to administer it.

Always follow the dosing and administration instructions provided with your prescription. Don't change your dose or frequency without talking to your provider.

Your provider and pharmacy instructions explain

  • How to prepare your dose
  • How to administer a subcutaneous injection
  • How to rotate injection sites
  • How to store your medication
  • How to dispose of used sharps
A note about sermorelin and FDA approval

FDA records show that Geref, a sermorelin acetate injection made by another manufacturer, was previously approved by FDA, and sermorelin was used in children with growth hormone deficiency. That manufacturer discontinued Geref in 2008 and asked FDA to withdraw its approval.

That history does not mean Vivo's compounded sermorelin is FDA-approved. The sermorelin prescribed through Vivo is a compounded medication, not an FDA-approved drug product. FDA does not review compounded medications for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed.

The process

How to Obtain Sermorelin

Your prescribing provider will review the specific medication being prescribed with you, including its name, form, and administration, before a prescription is issued.

  1. A hand holding a phone showing the Vivo intake questionnaire

    Step 1 of 3: Start online, meet your provider

    Complete a quick intake form, 100% online. A licensed provider reviews your health history and, if appropriate, prescribes. The review is asynchronous by default — some states require a synchronous visit, and a video visit may also be required if clinically indicated.

  2. A forest green Vivo shipping box

    Step 2 of 3: Compounded and delivered

    Your prescription is prepared by a licensed US compounding pharmacy and shipped discreetly to your door in insulated cold-chain packaging, with directions for use written by your provider.

  3. A patient smiling at a phone message from a Vivo provider confirming their prescription was approved

    Step 3 of 3: Ongoing care, on your schedule

    Care continues after delivery. Message your care team any time, and check in with a licensed provider as your treatment continues — no appointments to chase, no waiting rooms.

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Starting sermorelin with Vivo

Start with your prescription
Follow the exact dose and schedule prescribed by your provider.
Build the routine
Use and store the medication according to your prescription and the pharmacy's instructions.
Track what matters
Discuss your treatment goals, how you're responding and any concerns with your provider.
Stay connected
Continued treatment remains subject to clinical oversight and your individual prescription.

There isn't a clinically established timeline for experiencing a particular body-composition, sleep, energy or recovery outcome with compounded sermorelin.

Product details

In your shipment

  • Your compounded prescription, labeled by the dispensing pharmacy
  • Syringes and alcohol pads
  • Directions for use, as written by your prescribing provider
  • Insulated cold-chain packaging

Shipped discreetly. Refrigerate on arrival, and check the beyond-use date on the pharmacy label.

Quality & testing

A compounded medication is prepared per prescription rather than manufactured in retail batches, which makes verification of each batch the thing worth asking about. Here is what we can tell you about yours.

Each batch is compounded and tested by the licensed US 503A pharmacy that prepares it, and a certificate of analysis is issued for that batch. To request the certificate covering your fill, ask your prescribing provider or contact the dispensing pharmacy identified on your prescription label.

  • Compounded by a licensed US 503A pharmacy
  • Cold-chain shipped
  • Certificate of analysis issued per batch

Safety information

Standard safety information for a compounded prescription medication. Your prescribing provider and the dispensing pharmacy are the authority on your specific prescription — this does not replace either.

This is a compounded medication

This is a compounded medication prepared by a licensed pharmacy for an individual prescription. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved drug products.

FDA does not review compounded preparations for safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing quality before they are dispensed. We state this plainly because you should know it before you decide.

Sermorelin is not human growth hormone (HGH)

Sermorelin is not human growth hormone (HGH). Sermorelin is a synthetic analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It is a different medication from HGH and is not supplied, prescribed, or represented as HGH.

Prescription only

This medication may be used only by the person for whom it was prescribed, exactly as directed by the prescribing provider. Do not share it, and do not use a prescription written for someone else.

Before your visit, tell your provider about

  • All medical conditions you have or have had
  • Every medication and supplement you take
  • Any allergies
  • Whether you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding

Possible side effects

The side effects associated with your prescription are reviewed with you by your prescribing provider, and the dispensing pharmacy supplies the labeling that accompanies your medication. Ask your provider before you start, and contact them if you notice anything unexpected after you do.

Do not use if

Whether this medication is appropriate for you is a clinical determination your provider makes from your history, your current medications, and your circumstances — which is why the visit exists. Tell your provider everything listed above before a prescription is issued, and do not use a medication prescribed for someone else.

Storage and beyond-use date

Refrigerate on arrival. Do not freeze. Do not use past the beyond-use date printed on the pharmacy label.

Reporting a problem

Questions about your medication go to your prescribing provider or the dispensing pharmacy. Report a suspected adverse reaction to your provider. You may also report it to FDA MedWatch at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Read the Telehealth Consent

Questions, answered directly

What is sermorelin?

Sermorelin is a synthetic analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), the signal that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Vivo offers it as a compounded prescription injection, prescribed by a licensed provider after an intake and prepared by a licensed compounding pharmacy.

Is sermorelin a peptide?

Yes. Sermorelin is a synthetic peptide made of the first 29 amino acids of human GHRH, the portion that carries its biological activity.

Is sermorelin HGH?

No. Sermorelin is not human growth hormone. It is a GHRH analogue, a different medication, and Vivo does not supply, prescribe or represent it as HGH.

How does sermorelin work?

Normally, GHRH from the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Sermorelin acts at that same step: as a GHRH analogue, it stimulates the pituitary to release the growth hormone your body makes.

Does sermorelin increase growth hormone?

Stimulating growth hormone release is what sermorelin does, and it has been measured in people. In one small study of healthy older men, nightly GHRH(1-29) injections increased nocturnal growth hormone release. A hormonal response like that is not the same as a demonstrated wellness outcome.

Does sermorelin build muscle?

Vivo doesn't claim it does. Growth hormone is studied in relation to body composition, but a growth hormone response does not establish that compounded sermorelin increases lean muscle in a healthy adult. Training, protein, sleep and nutrition still matter, and your provider can help you look at your goals.

Does sermorelin reduce body fat or cause weight loss?

Vivo doesn't claim it does. Research on growth hormone and GHRH-related compounds in specific populations can't, on its own, establish that compounded sermorelin reduces body fat or body weight.

Does sermorelin improve sleep?

Growth hormone release is closely tied to sleep, which is part of why people ask. That relationship does not establish that compounded sermorelin improves sleep quality or produces deeper sleep. If you're sleeping poorly, tell your provider; it can have causes worth evaluating.

Does sermorelin improve recovery?

It hasn't been established that compounded sermorelin speeds up exercise recovery. Any study on recovery has to be read for the population, dose and route it actually tested.

How long does sermorelin take to work?

There isn't a clinically established timeframe in which compounded sermorelin should be expected to produce a particular body-composition, sleep, energy or recovery outcome. Discuss your goals and your response with your provider.

How is sermorelin different from HGH?

They act at different steps. Sermorelin signals the pituitary to release growth hormone; HGH is growth hormone itself, supplied directly. That difference in mechanism does not make sermorelin safer, more effective or clinically equivalent to HGH.

How do I inject sermorelin?

Exactly as your prescription and the pharmacy's instructions direct. They explain how to prepare a dose, give a subcutaneous injection, rotate injection sites and dispose of used sharps. Ask your care team if anything is unclear.

When should I take sermorelin?

At the time your provider prescribes. Timing is part of your individual prescription, so follow its instructions rather than a general rule.

Does sermorelin need refrigeration?

Store it exactly as your prescription label and the dispensing pharmacy's instructions say.

Do I need lab work?

Your provider decides what information is needed to evaluate you, based on your health history. If testing is part of your evaluation, your provider will tell you.

What are the potential side effects?

Read the Important Safety Information on this page, and talk with your provider or pharmacist about the side effects that apply to your prescription. Contact your care team about any unexpected symptoms, and seek emergency care for a severe reaction.

Can I take sermorelin with testosterone therapy?

Your provider must evaluate your medications and hormone therapies individually. Don't combine prescription hormone therapies without medical review, and tell your provider about any hormone therapy you use.

Is compounded sermorelin FDA-approved?

No. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed.

Do I need a prescription? How does that work?

Yes. Every Vivo protocol is prescription-only. When you complete your intake, a licensed US provider in your state reviews your medical history and, if appropriate, writes the prescription. The compounded medication is then shipped directly to your door.

What happens if I'm not approved?

No prescription is issued, and you are not charged for medication. Entering payment information at checkout authorizes your payment method — it does not capture a charge. A charge is captured only after a provider approves the prescription.

Partner pharmacy information

Vivo works with the following independent, state-licensed 503A compounding pharmacy:

VialsRX — 6220 Westpark Drive, Suite 111, Houston, TX 77057 — vials.ai

Services are available across all 50 U.S. states through affiliated providers and our pharmacy partner operating in accordance with applicable state licensure requirements.

Please note that medication availability, formulations, and fulfillment options may vary depending on state-specific pharmacy regulations and dispensing restrictions.

How do I cancel?

You can cancel a subscription at any time from your account dashboard, or by emailing care@vivoclinic.org. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period, provided we receive it before that period's order is transmitted to the pharmacy. Once an order has been transmitted to the pharmacy, or compounding has begun, it can't be canceled or refunded — it's being prepared specifically for you. Full details are in our Refund Policy.

How long does the visit take?

About 10–15 minutes, online, whenever suits you. There's no appointment and nothing to schedule.

Where does Vivo Clinic serve?

Vivo Clinic serves patients across all 50 U.S. states through our affiliated medical provider, Arora Health & Aesthetics, LLC. Treatment and medication availability may vary depending on provider licensure, state telehealth requirements, and pharmacy dispensing restrictions.

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Work with your physiology, with a provider behind it.

Explore compounded sermorelin through a provider-guided process.

Starting at $135/month$113/month with quarterly plan

Intro price applies to your first month, then $149/month. Quarterly plan billed $339 every 3 months.

Save $108 with the quarterly plan vs. paying $149/month

  • Provider review
  • Prescription required
  • U.S. pharmacy fulfillment

Important information about compounded medications

Vivo is a telehealth platform and does not manufacture or compound medications. Treatment requires evaluation by a licensed healthcare provider. A prescription is issued only when the provider determines treatment is medically appropriate.

Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. FDA does not review compounded medications for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed. Compounded medications may be prescribed when a healthcare provider determines that a compounded preparation is appropriate for an individual patient.

Information on this page is educational and does not replace individualized medical advice. Treatment availability, formulation and fulfillment may vary based on provider judgment and pharmacy availability.