human growth hormone · HGH · rhGH · HGH 191AA
Human growth hormone made in a lab. A prescription medicine for a shortage of this hormone and a few other conditions. Approval covers these medicines, not products sold outside pharmacies.
This site is for information and education only. It does not promote or encourage the use or purchase of the substances described and is not medical advice. Many are not authorised as medicines and their safety has not been established. We sell nothing and have no ties to sellers. For health decisions, consult a doctor.
Safety. A US drug label and long medical use. In a study of healthy older adults, diabetes or blood sugar problems appeared in 18 men on the hormone and 7 without it. Sources: US drug label, study 1.
Risk of fakes. A lab in Cologne found vials labelled as growth hormone with no active substance. At the Swiss border, fewer than 20% of seized doping products held the claimed substance in the claimed amount. Sources: study 1, study 2.
| Where | Status | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PL | Prescription only | Approved in Poland as Genotropin and Norditropin Flexpro, and across the EU as Omnitrope (European medicines database, EMA, 9 October 2026). Source | Not yet |
| EU | Prescription only | Approved across the EU as Omnitrope and others. This covers that medicine only, not products sold outside pharmacies. Source | Not yet |
| US | Prescription only | Prescription medicine (Omnitrope). Source | Not yet |
Scientific papers per year 2015–2025
These are search results. A count shows how much exists, not how good the studies are. 1 Nov 2026.
Effect in studies. Body mass without fat rose in older adults and amateur athletes. One study traced the rise to water, so it does not mean more muscle.
No effect in studies. Strength did not improve in older men, and a review of healthy young adults says it may not improve. One study saw better sprinting, which faded 6 weeks after stopping.
What doctors, patients and companies reported to the US medicines agency (FDA), and single cases described in medical journals. A report says what happened to someone after taking the substance. It does not prove the substance caused it, and it does not say how often it happens. Reports do not change any grade.
| Most often reported | Reports |
|---|---|
| Pain where the needle went in | 3,865 |
| Headache | 2,451 |
| Tiredness | 1,453 |
| Feeling generally unwell | 1,184 |
| Bleeding where the needle went in | 1,168 |
| Bruise where the needle went in | 1,160 |
| Joint pain | 1,064 |
| Death | 861 |
Serious means the person went to hospital, their life was in danger, they were left with lasting harm, or they died. One report can list several side effects. Most of these reports come from medical treatment, often of people who are ill, not from use outside medicine.
FDA reports come from openFDA, cases from a PubMed search. The editors have not read these cases yet. Titles stay in the original language. As of 3 Nov 2026.
The same doctor covers growth hormone: effects on fat and muscle, medical uses, effects on blood sugar and the heart, carpal tunnel syndrome, cancer concerns and fakes. He stresses that long-term safety data are missing.
| Studies | Kind of study | Who was studied | People | Duration | Dose as studied | Who paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The effects of growth hormone on body composition and physical performance in recreational athletes: a randomized trial. | Random groups | Recreational athletes | – | – | – | Unknown |
| Systematic review: the effects of growth hormone on athletic performance. | Review of studies | Healthy participants aged 13 to 45 | – | – | – | Unknown |
| Growth hormone and sex steroid administration in healthy aged women and men: a randomized controlled trial. | Random groups | Healthy aged women and men | 131 | 26 wk | – | Unknown |
| Growth hormone replacement in healthy older men improves body composition but not functional ability. | Random groups | Healthy men older than 69 | 52 | 26 wk | 0.03 mg/kg three times a week | Unknown |
We found these papers automatically in PubMed. The editors have not read them yet, and they do not affect any grade. Titles stay in the original language.
