HGH
HGH (somatropin) is human growth hormone made by recombinant DNA technology, with the same amino acid sequence as the hormone from the pituitary gland. It is a prescription medicine approved for growth hormone deficiency, several causes of poor growth in children, and HIV-related wasting. US labels give the strength in milligrams; EU product information, such as Omnitrope's, also gives it in international units (IU).
Approval status
Somatropin products such as Genotropin are FDA-approved for poor growth in children from several causes and for adults with growth hormone deficiency; Serostim is approved for HIV-related wasting. Since March 2020 the FDA regulates these products as biologics. In the EU, somatropin products such as Omnitrope are authorised by the EMA.15324
What it’s used or studied for
- Approved use
Growth failure in children due to growth hormone deficiency, Prader-Willi syndrome, Turner syndrome, being born small for gestational age, or idiopathic short stature.1
- Approved use
Replacement of growth hormone in adults with growth hormone deficiency that began in childhood or in adulthood.1
- Approved use
Adults with HIV and wasting (Serostim), to increase lean body mass, body weight and physical endurance alongside HIV treatment.5
- Human studies
Anti-aging in healthy older adults: trials showed small gains in lean mass and fat loss with more side effects, and the reviewers did not recommend it.6
- Human studies
Athletic performance: trials in fit young adults found more lean mass but no gain in strength or exercise capacity.7
Each label shows how strong the evidence is: an approved use, human studies, animal or lab studies only, or a popular claim with no published studies. Being studied is not the same as being proven safe or effective.
Side effects
Common
- Swelling from fluid retention (edema)
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Tingling or numbness of the skin
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Injection site reactions or rash
- Loss of fat under the skin at injection sites (lipoatrophy)
- Headache
Serious or rare
- Deaths in children with Prader-Willi syndrome who had severe obesity or breathing problems
- Increased risk of a second tumor in childhood cancer survivors
- High blood sugar and diabetes
- Raised pressure inside the skull (intracranial hypertension)
- Slipped growth plate at the hip in children
- Pancreatitis
These come from the Genotropin label; fluid retention, joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome are most frequent in adults. In trials in healthy older adults, swelling, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and breast enlargement in men were more common, and diabetes somewhat more common.16
Cautions
- Not for people with active cancer, acute critical illness, or active proliferative or severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.1
- Increased deaths were reported when it was given during acute critical illness after open-heart or abdominal surgery or major trauma.1
- It can unmask diabetes and change thyroid and adrenal hormone needs; the label calls for checking blood sugar and thyroid function.1
- It is not approved for anti-aging, and distributing it for that purpose is illegal in the United States.6
- US labels state strength in milligrams, while EU labels such as Omnitrope's give both milligrams and IU. Check which unit your vial uses.12
Sources
- FDA label: Genotropin (somatropin) for injection (DailyMed), revised 07/2026
- EMA product information: Omnitrope (somatropin) EPAR
- FDA: List of approved NDAs for biological products that were deemed to be BLAs on March 23, 2020
- WADA 2026 Prohibited List
- FDA label: Serostim (somatropin) for injection (DailyMed)
- Liu H et al. Systematic review: the safety and efficacy of growth hormone in the healthy elderly (Ann Intern Med, 2007)
- Liu H et al. Systematic review: the effects of growth hormone on athletic performance (Ann Intern Med, 2008)
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