Comparison
Ipamorelin vs sermorelin: how do the two growth hormone peptides differ?
Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid version of growth-hormone-releasing hormone, once sold as Geref and now prepared by compounding pharmacies. Ipamorelin mimics ghrelin to trigger growth hormone release; it is not approved for human use, and FDA lists it among substances that may pose significant safety risks in compounding. Neither has good trials for anti-aging or body composition.
How do Ipamorelin and Sermorelin compare?
| Attribute | Ipamorelin | Sermorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory status | Research only · Not for human use | Compounded · Prescription |
| Human evidence | Animal & lab studies only | Emerging evidence |
| Comes as | Injection (unapproved) | Injection (compounded) |
| How you get it | Not lawfully available for personal use. DiscoverMedica links to no seller. | A prescription, prepared by a licensed compounding pharmacy. Not FDA-approved. 7 providers are listed on DiscoverMedica. |
| How it worksIpamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue (Eur J Endocrinol 1998)Sermorelin | Mimics ghrelin at the growth hormone secretagogue receptor | Copies growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) |
| Approval historyInt J Colorectal Dis 2014Federal Register (Mar 4, 2013) | Never approved; a phase 2 trial after bowel surgery showed no significant benefit | Sold as Geref for children with growth hormone deficiency; no longer marketed, not for safety reasons |
| CompoundingFDA | On FDA’s list of substances that may present significant safety risks (outsourcing facilities) | Prepared by compounding pharmacies with a prescription; not FDA-reviewed |
| Tested sportWADA 2026 Prohibited List (Dutch Treaty Series, Trb. 2026, 25) | Prohibited | Prohibited |
| Key risksFDASermorelin | Not made to drug standards, so identity, purity and sterility are unverified. FDA cites a risk of immune reactions from aggregation or peptide impurities. | Facial flushing and injection-site pain were the main side effects in pediatric studies. Compounded injectables are not FDA-reviewed, so sterility and strength depend on the pharmacy. |
| Listed prices | No lawful seller, so no price is listed. | Listed starting prices run from $99 to $199.99 across 6 providers, checked October 7, 2026. |
Status, evidence, formats, routes and prices come from each compound’s page. Prices are the providers’ own listed starting prices, which may exclude a membership fee and change often; they are not DiscoverMedica’s prices.
How do ipamorelin and sermorelin work differently?
They push the pituitary from two directions. Sermorelin copies growth-hormone-releasing hormone, the brain’s main signal to release growth hormone. Ipamorelin acts like ghrelin on a separate receptor; a 1998 study called it the first selective growth hormone secretagogue because, in animals, it raised growth hormone without raising cortisol. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue (Eur J Endocrinol 1998)
Is ipamorelin or sermorelin FDA-approved?
Neither is approved today. Sermorelin was sold as Geref, and in 2013 FDA determined that it was not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness. Ipamorelin was never approved. Federal Register (Mar 4, 2013)
FDA lists ipamorelin acetate among bulk substances that may present significant safety risks in compounding, citing possible immune reactions from aggregation or peptide-related impurities. FDA
What does the evidence show for ipamorelin and sermorelin?
It is thin for both outside narrow uses. Sermorelin improved growth in some children with growth hormone deficiency, though less than growth hormone itself. Ipamorelin’s published patient trial, after bowel surgery, found no significant benefit over placebo. We found no good trials of either for muscle, fat loss or aging in healthy adults. Sermorelin
In that ipamorelin trial of 114 patients, median time to the first tolerated meal was 25.3 hours with ipamorelin and 32.6 hours with placebo, a difference that was not statistically significant. Int J Colorectal Dis 2014
Which might suit whom: Ipamorelin or Sermorelin?
Only one of these has a lawful prescription route, and the evidence for both is thin. Questions worth asking:
- Should my growth hormone or IGF-1 actually be tested, and what would low results mean?
- Do I have a diagnosis that an FDA-approved treatment covers?
- What proven approaches fit my body-composition or energy goals?
- If you prescribe compounded sermorelin, which pharmacy makes it and how is it tested?
- Given my blood sugar and cancer history, is stimulating growth hormone a concern for me?
DiscoverMedica does not recommend one over the other. Only a licensed clinician who knows your history can decide.
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Adds Sermorelin to My Journal, with the questions to ask a clinician. It stays in this browser, and nothing on it is a commitment.
Where to get each
Licensed providers that list each one on DiscoverMedica, by name. The full list is on each compound’s page.
- See all 7 offers for SermorelinFrom $126 first monthlisted, checked September 23, 2026Visit$175/molisted, checked October 7, 2026Visit
Prices as listed by the provider when we checked; they change.
Ipamorelin vs Sermorelin: questions, answered
Is ipamorelin or sermorelin better?
There is no head-to-head evidence. Sermorelin has an approval history and pediatric data; ipamorelin has early pharmacology and one surgical trial without clear benefit. Their status differs too: sermorelin is prescribed through compounding pharmacies, while ipamorelin is not approved for human use and has no lawful compounding route.
Are ipamorelin and sermorelin banned in sport?
Yes. WADA’s 2026 Prohibited List names sermorelin among growth-hormone-releasing hormone analogues and ipamorelin among growth hormone secretagogues, and both classes are prohibited.
What does sermorelin cost?
Sermorelin: Listed starting prices run from $99 to $199.99 across 6 providers, checked October 7, 2026. Ipamorelin has no lawful retail price because it is not approved and cannot be lawfully compounded. Listed prices change often.
Sources
- Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue (Eur J Endocrinol 1998)
- Ipamorelin for postoperative ileus after bowel resection: randomized phase 2 study (Int J Colorectal Dis 2014)
- Sermorelin: a review of its use in children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (BioDrugs 1999)
- Federal Register (Mar 4, 2013): Geref (sermorelin acetate) not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness
- FDA: Bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks (Category 2)
- WADA 2026 Prohibited List (Dutch Treaty Series, Trb. 2026, 25)
- PubChem: Ipamorelin (CID 9831659)
- PubChem: Sermorelin (CID 16132413)
Last reviewed October 7, 2026. Every source above was checked on or before that date. Educational information only, not medical advice; it does not replace a conversation with a licensed clinician. DiscoverMedica does not employ clinicians.