GHRH Analog

Also known as: GHRH mimetic · growth hormone releasing hormone analog

A GHRH analog is a modified growth hormone-releasing hormone that activates the GHRH receptor on the pituitary to release the body's own growth hormone.

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is a peptide from the hypothalamus that acts on somatotroph cells in the pituitary to stimulate the production and pulsatile release of growth hormone. Growth hormone is both anabolic and fat-mobilizing, and many of its effects run through IGF-1 made in the liver and other tissues. GHRH analogs mimic the natural hormone at its receptor: in lab testing, tesamorelin binds and stimulates human GHRH receptors with potency similar to native GHRH. Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid analog of human GHRH. These act on a different receptor from ghrelin-receptor agonists such as ipamorelin and MK-677.

The biggest practical difference between GHRH analogs is how long they last. The label gives tesamorelin a mean elimination half-life of 8 minutes after a subcutaneous (SubQ) injection. The long-acting CJC-1295 tested in healthy adults had an estimated half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days; a single injection raised growth hormone 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more and IGF-1 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days. Research-market products labeled "CJC-1295 no DAC" are sold as a shorter-acting variant, so do not assume that trial's half-life applies to them.

Why it matters

Tesamorelin is the FDA-approved member of the class. Egrifta SV is indicated to reduce excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy; its label states it is not indicated for weight loss and is weight neutral. Its effectiveness rests on two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 26-week studies that measured visceral fat by CT scan.

The label also shows what raising growth hormone and IGF-1 involves. Tesamorelin is contraindicated in active malignancy, pregnancy and disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Warnings include fluid retention (swelling, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome), glucose intolerance or diabetes, and elevated IGF-1: after 26 weeks, 47% of treated patients had IGF-1 above 2 standard deviation scores and 36% above 3. Sermorelin's clinical data are limited and come mainly from children with growth hormone deficiency.

How to work out a label dose volume

Find the vial strength and the diluent volume on the label.
Concentration = vial amount divided by diluent volume.
Volume to inject = prescribed dose divided by concentration.
Use only the formulation the numbers came from; the Egrifta label warns that its two vial strengths have different dosing and reconstitution. The DoseCraft reconstitution calculator at /tools/reconstitution does the same arithmetic.

Volume to draw (mL) = dose (mg) / concentration (mg/mL)

Worked example

Egrifta SV label: a 2 mg vial reconstituted with 0.5 mL gives 2 / 0.5 = 4 mg/mL. The labeled 1.4 mg dose is 1.4 / 4 = 0.35 mL, which is exactly the volume the label specifies.

Common mistakes

Mixing up GHRH analogs and ghrelin-receptor agonists; they act on different receptors.
Assuming every product called CJC-1295 has the 5.8 to 8.1 day half-life measured in the trial.
Treating tesamorelin as a weight-loss drug; its label says it is weight neutral and not indicated for weight loss.
Skipping IGF-1 and glucose monitoring, which the tesamorelin label calls for.
Applying one formulation's dose and volume to another formulation or vial strength.

Sources

Prescribing informationEGRIFTA SV (tesamorelin) for injection, prescribing information. DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2026.
Clinical trialProlonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006. PMID 16352683.
ReviewSermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency. BioDrugs, 1999. PMID 18031173.

Page updated October 3, 2026. How we grade evidence: methodology.

Related Terms

Growth Hormone Secretagogue

A growth hormone secretagogue (GHS) is a compound that makes the pituitary release its own growth hormone, usually by activating the ghrelin receptor.

Stack

A stack is two or more compounds used during the same period, usually chosen because they are thought to act through different mechanisms on the same goal.

Half-Life

Half-life (t½) is the time it takes for the concentration of a drug in your blood plasma to fall by half.

Longevity Peptide

'Longevity peptide' is an informal label for peptides promoted to slow aging, such as Epitalon, MOTS-c and SS-31; evidence is mostly from cells and animals.

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