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HGH (Somatropin)_

Also known as somatropin, human growth hormone, GH

Real injected growth hormone, the most powerful and priciest option.

Muscle & anti-agingRecombinant growth hormoneClinical use
InGrowth hormone peptides
Common vial size10 mg
Dose1 up to 3 IU per day (start low, increase slowly)
FrequencyDaily
RouteUnder the skin (subcutaneous)
StatusPrescription
MixYour choice, calculate it
CycledNot cycled in medical use

Common vial size is what vendors typically sell, not a recommendation. Enter your own vial in the calculator.

01

What is HGH (Somatropin)?

Plain language first. The technical label stays, but it never stands alone.

Overview

HGH (somatropin) is lab-made human growth hormone itself, injected directly rather than coaxed out of your body. In plain terms: it is the most powerful option for muscle, fat loss, and recovery, but also the priciest and the most likely to cause side effects if misused. It is prescription-only.

What it's used for

Real, injected growth hormone, the most powerful and most expensive option for muscle, fat loss, recovery, and anti-aging.

02

How does HGH (Somatropin) work?

What it does in the body, and where.

HGH is growth hormone itself, made in a lab and injected. Everything else in this category tries to persuade your body to make more of this; this is the thing.

  1. 01
    It binds growth hormone receptors directly
    No pituitary involvement, no feedback loop, no ceiling imposed by your own regulation.
  2. 02
    Your liver makes IGF-1 in response
    IGF-1 carries out most of the muscle and tissue effects, which is why it is the marker doctors actually measure.
  3. 03
    Fat breaks down and protein builds
    The two effects people are after, and they are real and well documented at clinical doses.
  4. 04
    Side effects scale with dose and duration
    Fluid retention, joint pain, carpal tunnel, insulin resistance. These are dose-dependent and reversible early, less so later.
  5. 05
    It is a controlled substance in the US
    Prescribing outside approved indications is illegal, not merely off-label.
Pathway
THE PEPTIDEHGH (Somatropin)ACTS ONGrowth hormone receptors on cellsRESULTThe liver makes IGF…RESULTFat breaks down, pr…

A schematic of the compound's mechanism, not a diagnostic image.

03

What else is it used for?

Each use below carries its own evidence level. Approved means regulators have cleared it for that purpose. Investigational means it is in trials. Early research means it is being studied and is not established.

  • Replacing growth hormone in adults and children whose bodies do not make enough, whether from a pituitary tumour, surgery, radiation, injury, or no identified causeFDA-approved
  • Helping children grow who are unusually short because of certain conditions, including Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Noonan syndrome, SHOX gene deficiency, being born small for their age, and some cases with no identified causeFDA-approved
  • Increasing muscle mass and body weight in people with severe wasting from serious illness, including HIVFDA-approved
  • Losing fat, especially deep belly fat around the organs, and gaining lean muscle. Well documented in people who are genuinely deficient. Much weaker evidence in healthy adults using it for physiqueClinical use
  • Recovering faster from training and healing tissue after injuryEarly research
  • Skin firmness and texture, and hair and nail qualityEarly research
  • Energy, sleep quality, and general wellbeing, which is the main anti-aging claim and the least well supportedEarly research
04

How much, and do you cycle it?

The range, and whether you take breaks.

1 up to 3 IU per day (start low, increase slowly), daily. Not cycled in medical useClinical use

Prescribed for deficiency, it is taken daily and continuously, with the dose adjusted by blood work rather than paused. The cycling schedules attached to it come from bodybuilding practice, where the concern is suppressing your own production, not tolerance.

Compare cycling across compounds →

05

How do I dose and price it?

Enter your vial and your dose. Pick a mix. We show the draw and the cost.

The vial holds a fixed amount of drug. Adding more water does not make more drug, it just spreads it thinner, so you draw a bigger number on the syringe for the same dose.

Your vial size (mg)
Printed on the vial.
What you paid per vial
$
Used for cost per dose only.
Your dose (mg)
Commonly referenced range: 1 up to 3 IU per day (start low, increase slowly)Clinical use

Choose your mix

your own mL
units · —
Enter your own volume

Measuring the water1 mL = one full 100-unit syringe.

Your draw

20 / 100 units
Full calculator with reorder date →Read a syringe →
06

How do you store it?

Before mixing, and after.

Dry powder in the freezer or fridge. Once mixed, fridge, and use within about a month.

Unmixed lyophilized HGH (Somatropin) keeps for a long time cold. Once you add water the clock starts: most reconstituted vials hold up for roughly 28 to 30 days at fridge temperature. Keep it out of light, and do not freeze it after mixing.

07

What are the side effects and cautions?

Known cautions and warnings for this compound.

Who should avoid it

Check these before anything else.
  • Active cancer, because growth hormone may speed tumour growth
  • Serious acute illness, where it has been linked to worse outcomes
  • Children whose growth plates have already closed, if the goal is height
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Active eye damage from diabetes

Stop and get help

These are emergencies. Seek care.
  • New lumps or masses, or a mole that is changing
  • Severe or worsening carpal tunnel symptoms
  • Signs of high blood sugar such as constant thirst, frequent urination, or blurred vision
  • Severe swelling of the face, hands, or feet
  • Severe headaches or changes in vision
  • Severe joint or muscle pain that does not settle when the dose is lowered
  • Signs of an allergic reaction such as face or throat swelling, hives, or trouble breathing

Common effects

Expected, and usually mild.
  • Water retention and puffiness, especially early
  • Joint and muscle aches
  • Tingling or numbness in the hands
  • Higher blood sugar over time
  • Breast tissue growth in men
  • Symptoms of an underactive thyroid such as tiredness, weight gain, and feeling cold. Growth hormone replacement can reveal a thyroid problem that was already there but hidden, so thyroid levels are usually checked

Where this page says nothing is established, that means nobody has studied it, not that a compound is safe.

08

Is HGH (Somatropin) approved?

And where the numbers on this page come from.
Clinical use

Yes. Approved for clinical use.

A regulator has cleared it for specific uses in a clinical setting.

  • DoseFrom product labeling and clinical guidelines.
  • Vial sizeFrom what vendors typically list; not a recommendation.
  • Sources
    NIH ClinicalInfo, somatropin
  • Reviewed22 July 2026
09

What else is like HGH (Somatropin)?

Others in Growth hormone, side by side.

If you're weighing HGH (Somatropin), it's worth reading Ipamorelin, CJC-1295 with DAC, and CJC-1295 no DAC (Mod GRF 1-29) in the same class.

YOU ARE HERE
HGH191 residues
HGH (Somatropin)

Real injected growth hormone, the most powerful and priciest option.

Clinical use
Dose
1 up to 3 IU per day (start low, increase slowly)
How often
Daily
Ipamorelin

A gentle shot that nudges your body to release its own growth hormone.

Research only
Dose
0.2 up to 0.3 mg per dose (start low, increase slowly)
How often
Daily, often at night
CJC-1295 with DAC

A once-or-twice-weekly shot that keeps your growth hormone raised for days.

Research only
Dose
1 up to 2 mg per dose (start low, increase slowly)
How often
1-2x per week
CJC-1295 no DAC (Mod GRF 1-29)

A short-acting growth-hormone pulse, usually paired with ipamorelin.

Research only
Dose
0.1 mg per dose
How often
Daily to 2x daily
See the other GH peptides side by side
10

What these words mean

Show glossary +
Titrate
Starting at a low dose and increasing it slowly over time so your body adjusts and side effects stay mild.
Subcutaneous
An injection just under the skin, into the fat layer, usually with a short, thin insulin needle.
Intramuscular (IM)
An injection into a muscle, using a longer needle.
Reconstitution
Mixing a powdered peptide with liquid (bacteriostatic water) so it can be drawn into a syringe.
Bacteriostatic water
Sterile water with a tiny amount of preservative, used to mix powdered peptides.
Concentration
How strong the mixed peptide is, in milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL). More water makes it weaker; less water makes it stronger.
Units (on the syringe)
The marks on an insulin syringe. 100 units equals 1 mL. They measure how much liquid you draw, not the dose in milligrams.
mcg and mg
Units of dose. 1 milligram (mg) equals 1,000 micrograms (mcg).
GLP-1
A natural gut hormone that lowers appetite and blood sugar. Drugs that copy it, like semaglutide, are used for weight loss.
Growth hormone secretagogue
A compound that nudges your body to release more of its own growth hormone, rather than injecting the hormone itself.
Half-life
How long a compound stays active in your body. A longer half-life means you inject less often.
Peptide vs small molecule
A peptide is a short chain of amino acids. A few items here (like MK-677 or methylene blue) are small molecules, not true peptides, but people use them the same way.
Research only
No approved dose or use in people. Sold for research and not reviewed by the FDA for safety or quality.
Investigational
Still being tested in clinical trials and not yet approved or legally sold for general use.
Banned in drug-tested sport
Prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA); using it can disqualify a competing athlete.

Sources

Last reviewed 22 July 2026