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This is an approved / prescription medicine. Do not use without a prescription and medical supervision.

EMA-approvedaka Somatropin, Humatrope, Genotropin, hGH

Growth hormone — Complete Research Guide (2026)

Last updated 2026-06-30

TL;DR

Growth hormone (also known as Somatropin) is a peptide catalogued under Growth Hormone (Pituitary hormone). It is described as: GH receptor. Documented context: GH deficiency; Turner syndrome; PWS; adult GHD. Neutral reference entry; EU status: EU-approved prescription medicine.

What is Growth hormone?

Growth hormone (somatropin) is recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), an FDA- and EMA-approved prescription biologic licensed for defined deficiency and short-stature conditions: pediatric growth hormone deficiency, Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, short stature in children born small-for-gestational-age, growth failure from chronic renal insufficiency, and adult growth hormone deficiency.

It is a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited substance and is widely misused for anti-aging and bodybuilding, despite an absence of evidence for benefit in healthy adults and documented harms.

The frequently cited Rudman 1990 study reported body-composition changes in older men but did not measure function and has been overinterpreted; later controlled evidence found no meaningful functional or anti-aging benefit and frequent adverse effects.

How does Growth hormone work?

Somatropin binds the growth hormone receptor, activating JAK2/STAT signaling that stimulates hepatic and local production of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

IGF-1 in turn mediates most of the anabolic and growth-promoting effects on bone, muscle, and other tissues.

What does the research say about Growth hormone?

  • In adults with rigorously confirmed growth hormone deficiency, GH replacement improves body composition (reduced fat mass, increased lean mass) and some quality-of-life measures. [4]
  • In healthy older adults GH produces only modest lean-mass gains and fat loss, with no proven improvement in strength or function and a higher rate of adverse events, so the anti-aging framing is not supported. [2]
  • In healthy athletes GH has not been shown to improve athletic performance; apparent effects reflect fluid retention rather than real gains in strength or endurance. [5]

Clinical research & studies

The references below are the primary sources cited throughout this guide. Each links directly to PubMed or the regulator. Where evidence is preclinical (animal or in-vitro), that is stated rather than implied.

  • [1] Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old — Rudman D et al., New England Journal of Medicine 1990. (Randomized trial (older men))
  • [2] Systematic review: the safety and efficacy of growth hormone in the healthy elderly — Liu H et al., Annals of Internal Medicine 2007. (Systematic review/meta-analysis)
  • [3] Growth hormone and sex steroid administration in healthy aged women and men: a randomized controlled trial — Blackman MR et al., JAMA 2002. (Randomized controlled trial)
  • [4] Evaluation and treatment of adult growth hormone deficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline — Molitch ME et al., Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2011. (Clinical practice guideline)
  • [5] Systematic review: the effects of growth hormone on athletic performance — Liu H et al., Annals of Internal Medicine 2008. (Systematic review)

Dosing context

This is not medical advice or a usage recommendation. Dosing figures are reported research context only, cited from the published literature.

In approved indications, somatropin is given by subcutaneous injection with weight- or surface-area-based dosing individualized by an endocrinologist and titrated against IGF-1 levels and clinical response.

Dosing figures are provided only as context; this is a prescription-only biologic and nothing here is dosing guidance.

Side effects & safety profile

There is no evidence that growth hormone reverses aging or benefits healthy adults, and non-medical use carries real harms including fluid retention, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, insulin resistance and higher glucose, gynecomastia, and edema.

Systematic reviews of GH in the healthy elderly and in athletes found small or absent functional benefit but consistently increased adverse effects.

Legitimate medical use requires biochemical confirmation of deficiency and specialist monitoring; GH is a WADA-prohibited substance, and counterfeit or unregulated anti-aging products add contamination and dosing risks.

Stacking & combinations

Non-medical stacking of GH with insulin, anabolic steroids, or IGF-1 is common in bodybuilding but is unstudied for safety and compounds the metabolic and cardiovascular risks of each agent.

Finding Growth hormone vendors

Finding Growth hormone vendors

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Frequently asked questions

Yes. Recombinant somatropin is FDA- and EMA-approved for specific pediatric growth disorders (including GH deficiency, Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, SGA short stature, and chronic renal insufficiency) and for adult GH deficiency. It is prescription-only.

References

  1. [1] Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old — Rudman D et al., New England Journal of Medicine 1990. PMID: 2355952. View sourceStudy: Randomized trial (older men)GH increased lean body mass and reduced adipose mass over 6 months, but the trial did not demonstrate functional or anti-aging benefit and is frequently overinterpreted.
  2. [2] Systematic review: the safety and efficacy of growth hormone in the healthy elderly — Liu H et al., Annals of Internal Medicine 2007. PMID: 17227934. View sourceStudy: Systematic review/meta-analysisGH in healthy older adults produced modest body-composition changes without functional benefit and with significantly more adverse events (edema, arthralgia, glucose intolerance).
  3. [3] Growth hormone and sex steroid administration in healthy aged women and men: a randomized controlled trial — Blackman MR et al., JAMA 2002. PMID: 12425705. View sourceStudy: Randomized controlled trialGH (with or without sex steroids) changed body composition in healthy aged adults but caused frequent adverse effects and did not establish a favorable benefit-risk balance.
  4. [4] Evaluation and treatment of adult growth hormone deficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline — Molitch ME et al., Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2011. PMID: 21602453. View sourceStudy: Clinical practice guidelineIn confirmed adult GH deficiency, replacement improves body composition and quality of life, with dosing individualized and monitored by IGF-1.
  5. [5] Systematic review: the effects of growth hormone on athletic performance — Liu H et al., Annals of Internal Medicine 2008. PMID: 18347346. View sourceStudy: Systematic reviewGH did not improve strength, power, or endurance in athletes; increases in lean mass reflected fluid retention, while adverse effects rose.
This article is for educational and research purposes only. Peptides discussed here are not approved for human consumption by the FDA, EMA, or equivalent regulators outside of specific clinical contexts. Always consult a licensed medical professional before any therapeutic use.