PeptideCompareNative GHRH — EU research guide.
Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is the natural hypothalamic signal that triggers the pituitary's own GH pulses — the parent hormone behind every GHRH analogue on the market, from sermorelin to tesamorelin and CJC-1295.
What is native GHRH?
Native GHRH is a 44-amino-acid hypothalamic peptide (only residues 1-29 are needed for full activity) that binds the pituitary GHRH receptor to release stored growth hormone. It has an extremely short half-life in circulation — a limitation every GHRH analogue since has tried to engineer around.
Why analogues are used instead
Because native GHRH degrades within minutes, essentially all clinical and research use today relies on modified analogues instead: sermorelin (GHRH 1-29; the US product Geref was discontinued by its manufacturer in 2008), tesamorelin (stabilised, FDA-approved for HIV lipodystrophy) and CJC-1295 (extended half-life via a Drug Affinity Complex). Unmodified GHRH itself sees little standalone use.
EU legal status
Not marketed as a standalone medicine; GHRH and its analogues fall under WADA's S2 peptide-hormone category, prohibited in sport due to their growth-hormone-releasing effect.
Molecular information
Pharmacokinetics
Potency retained over time
Each line is one storage condition: it starts at 100% and falls as potency is lost. Above the dashed 80% line the material is considered reliable — hover for exact values.
⚠ Modelled per compound from molecular structure — chain length, cyclisation, oxidation- and deamidation-prone residues and light sensitivity. Indicative only, not lab-measured per batch.
GH-axis compounds across EU suppliers
COA-verified EU vendors · Updated monthly
References
- A small 1983 physiology study of synthetic GHRH(1-44) in seven healthy men: growth hormone rose within minutes and side effects were minor. It shows the peptide is biologically active in humans; it is not a treatment trial and says nothing about long-term use. Rosenthal SM, Schriock EA, Kaplan SL, Guillemin R, Grumbach MM. Synthetic human pancreas growth hormone-releasing factor (hpGRF1-44-NH2) stimulates growth hormone secretion in normal men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1983;57(3):677-679. DOIPubMed 6409919
- Shows that native GHRH(1-44)-NH2 is broken down in blood within minutes (6.8 minutes after intravenous injection in humans) by removal of its first two amino acids. The core reason analogues were developed; an old, small study. Frohman LA, Downs TR, Williams TC, Heimer EP, Pan YC, Felix AM. Rapid enzymatic degradation of growth hormone-releasing hormone by plasma in vitro and in vivo to a biologically inactive product cleaved at the NH2 terminus. J Clin Invest. 1986;78(4):906-913. Source
- Follow-up work identifying dipeptidylpeptidase IV and trypsin-like enzymes as the plasma enzymes that degrade GHRH. Mechanistic laboratory work, not a clinical trial. Frohman LA, Downs TR, Heimer EP, Felix AM. Dipeptidylpeptidase IV and trypsin-like enzymatic degradation of human growth hormone-releasing hormone in plasma. J Clin Invest. 1989;83(5):1533-1540. Source
- US label of tesamorelin, the stabilised GHRH(1-44) analogue: indication (HIV lipodystrophy), two 26-week placebo-controlled trials and an 8-minute half-life in healthy subjects. It concerns the licensed analogue, not the native peptide or vendor research vials. EGRIFTA SV (tesamorelin for injection): US prescribing information. US Food and Drug Administration; revised 07/2019. Source
- The FDA notice on Geref (sermorelin acetate): the licensed sermorelin injection was discontinued by its manufacturer, and the FDA found this was not for safety or effectiveness reasons. It is a regulatory record, not a clinical study. Food and Drug Administration. Determination that GEREF (sermorelin acetate) injection was not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness. Fed Regist. 2013;78(42):14095. Source
- The 2026 prohibited list, which names GHRH and its analogues (including sermorelin, tesamorelin and CJC-1295) among the prohibited growth hormone releasing factors. A copy published by an anti-doping body; the official WADA list is the reference for athletes. Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. VADA Prohibited List, version 1-1-2026, section S2.2.4 (growth hormone releasing factors). Source