Beneficial Effects of Sermorelin Therapy
Primary Therapeutic Benefits
Sermorelin therapy promotes growth in children with growth hormone deficiency and induces favorable metabolic changes in adults, including increased lean body mass, improved skin thickness, and enhanced insulin sensitivity, particularly in men. 1, 2
Growth Promotion in Children
Sermorelin at 30 microg/kg bodyweight given subcutaneously once daily at bedtime significantly increases height velocity in prepubertal children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency, with sustained effects maintained for up to 36 months of treatment. 1
Catch-up growth occurs in the majority of growth hormone-deficient children treated with sermorelin, with the best responses seen in slow-growing, shorter children who have delayed bone and height age. 1
Lower-dose regimens (1-2 microg/kg given subcutaneously every 3 hours by pump) have also proven effective, promoting growth velocities ranging from 4.5 to 8.2 cm/year when maintained for 2-4 years. 3
Body Composition Improvements in Adults
In age-advanced adults (55-71 years), nightly sermorelin analog administration for 16 weeks significantly increases lean body mass in men and skin thickness in both genders. 2
A positive nitrogen balance trend occurs in both men and women, becoming statistically significant when data are combined, indicating enhanced protein synthesis. 2
The GHRH analogue tesamorelin (a related compound) significantly increases skeletal muscle area (0.64-1.08 cm²) and muscle density (1.56-4.86 Hounsfield units) in adults with HIV, demonstrating improved muscle quality and quantity. 4
Metabolic and Hormonal Benefits
Sermorelin induces sustained elevation of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels within 2 weeks of treatment, which remain elevated for 12 weeks, indicating activation of the somatotropic axis. 2
Insulin sensitivity significantly improves in men receiving sermorelin analog treatment, without adverse effects on fasting glucose levels. 2
Growth hormone-binding protein (GHBP) concentrations increase significantly in women within 4 weeks of treatment. 2
Quality of Life Enhancements
Men receiving sermorelin analog therapy experience significant improvements in general well-being and libido, though these effects are not consistently observed in women. 2
The treatment is well tolerated with minimal adverse effects—transient facial flushing and injection site pain are the most commonly reported events. 1
Bone Health Considerations
- While sermorelin increases bone mineral content in children with cystic fibrosis receiving growth hormone therapy 5, and growth hormone generally has beneficial effects on bone mineral density in growth hormone-deficient adults 6, direct long-term fracture reduction data for sermorelin specifically are not yet established.
Important Clinical Caveats
The effects of sermorelin on final adult height in children require longer-term study, as current data extend only to 36 months of treatment. 1
Gender differences exist in response to GHRH analogs—men demonstrate more pronounced anabolic effects including increased lean body mass, insulin sensitivity, and quality of life improvements compared to women. 2
Transient hyperlipidemia may occur but typically resolves by the end of treatment without intervention. 2
The acute GH-releasing effect of sermorelin occurs within 10 minutes of administration and lasts approximately 2 hours, with sustained effectiveness throughout long-term treatment. 2