Somatropin (rhGH)
Growth hormone
Also rhGH, Somatropin, HGH, Growth hormone, Human growth hormone, Recombinant human growth hormone
- Evidence
- AStrong human evidence
- FDA status
- FDA approvedas of 2026-10-26
- Route
- Injection
- Studies cited
- 0 human0 animal or cell
It is lab-made growth hormone, approved for children and adults who lack it. It works for that, but anti-ageing clinics also sell it to healthy adults, and the labels do not back that.
Sold for
Growth hormone is sold by anti-aging clinics and on the black market as the master hormone for youth, muscle and fat loss, well beyond the deficiency states it is approved to treat.
Studies say
Somatropin reliably restores growth in children who lack growth hormone and improves body composition in deficient adults, which is what it is approved for; the labels do not support use in healthy adults, and the market is shifting toward weekly long-acting versions as older daily brands exit.
Why grade A. The approved indications rest on four decades of randomized and controlled trials summarized in each product's label, including placebo-controlled trials in adult deficiency and growth velocity trials in children; the Norditropin label alone covers pediatric and adult deficiency, Turner syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, small-for-gestational-age short stature and idiopathic short stature. Evidence for the uses it is sold for off-label, anti-aging and body composition in healthy adults, is a separate and much weaker question not covered by these citations. 3
FDA. Somatropin, recombinant human growth hormone, has been FDA-approved since Humatrope in 1987 and is sold under several brands including Norditropin, Genotropin, Omnitrope and Zomacton, for growth hormone deficiency in children and adults and for a set of specific growth disorders. Two long-standing brands have left the market: Genentech discontinued Nutropin in 2024 and Lilly is ending Humatrope distribution at the end of 2026. Use for anti-aging or athletic performance is not an approved indication. 123
Written from 3 cited sources. Fact-checked 2026-10-27: 11 claims checked, 0 corrected. Last refreshed 2026-10-27. Not physician reviewed.
What this means for you
- What people take it for
- Growth hormone shortage; also youth and muscle gain
- Can a US doctor prescribe it?
- Yes, FDA approved for growth hormone shortage in children and adults and some growth disorders.
- Properly tested in people?
- Yes, in large controlled trials over four decades, for the approved uses only.
Evidence checklist
- Randomised controlled trial Placebo-controlled trials in adult deficiencyyes
- Human study over 100 people Four decades of large trials in labelsyes
- More than one research group Many sponsors, brands and trialsyes
- Clinical outcomes, not surrogate markers Child growth rate and adult body compositionyes
- Human safety data beyond case reports Warnings on cancer, critical illness, diabetesyes
Drawn from the cited studies below. A dash means the sources give no information.
What it is
Somatropin is human growth hormone made by recombinant DNA technology: the human gene is inserted into bacteria or mammalian cells, which produce the 191-amino-acid protein identical to the pituitary hormone. Before 1985 growth hormone was extracted from cadaver pituitaries; recombinant versions took over, with Lilly's Humatrope approved in 1987. 23
Many brands followed, all containing the same protein in different devices and formulations. The approved indications vary by brand but center on growth hormone deficiency in children and adults, plus growth failure in Turner syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, chronic kidney disease, children born small for gestational age who do not catch up, and idiopathic short stature. The market has been consolidating: Genentech stopped making Nutropin in 2024, and Lilly announced it will permanently discontinue Humatrope, with distribution ending December 31, 2026. Weekly long-acting products such as somapacitan are taking their place. 123
How it works
Growth hormone is released in pulses from the pituitary, mainly at night. It binds receptors on the liver, which responds by producing IGF-1, and on bone, muscle and fat directly. In children, IGF-1 drives growth of the long bones at their growth plates. In adults, growth hormone maintains lean mass, bone density and normal fat distribution, and shifts metabolism toward burning fat. Injected somatropin reproduces these effects when the body makes too little; it is dosed by weight or by IGF-1 level, and the label directs that IGF-1 be kept within the normal range for age, because excess growth hormone causes the tissue overgrowth, diabetes and joint disease seen in acromegaly. 3
What human research shows
In children with growth hormone deficiency, treatment typically doubles or triples height velocity in the first year and, continued through puberty, brings most children into the normal adult height range; the label summarizes the controlled trials behind each pediatric indication, including gains over untreated or placebo controls in Turner syndrome, small-for-gestational-age and idiopathic short stature. In adults with deficiency, placebo-controlled trials show reduced body fat, increased lean mass, improved bone density over years and better exercise capacity, with modest effects on quality of life. 3
| Study | Model | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Norditropin label clinical studies | Humans, randomized controlled trials across pediatric indications and placebo-controlled trials in adult deficiency | Increased height velocity in children with deficiency, Turner, Noonan and other growth disorders, and improved body composition in deficient adults. 3 |
| Nutropin discontinuation | Manufacturer statement, 2024 | Genentech ended production of Nutropin, one of the original recombinant growth hormone brands. 1 |
| Humatrope discontinuation | Manufacturer notice, 2026 | Lilly is permanently discontinuing Humatrope, the first approved somatropin brand, with distribution ending December 31, 2026. 2 |
Safety
The label warns against use in people with active cancer, acute critical illness such as after open heart surgery or major trauma, diabetic retinopathy, and in children with Prader-Willi syndrome who are severely obese or have breathing problems, after deaths in that group. Common effects are fluid retention with swelling and joint or muscle pain, carpal tunnel symptoms, headache and raised blood glucose that can progress to diabetes; in children, slipped hip growth plates, scoliosis progression and raised pressure in the skull are watched for. A long-running concern is whether growth hormone, through IGF-1, raises cancer risk; large registries of treated children have been mostly reassuring for recurrence of the original tumor but have raised questions about second cancers after childhood cancer treatment, and the label advises monitoring. Black-market growth hormone carries the added hazards of counterfeit product and unsupervised dosing. 3
Questions for your clinician
- Do I have a diagnosed growth hormone deficiency that this treats?
- What does the label say about use in healthy adults?
- Would a weekly long-acting version suit me better than daily?
Questions people ask
What is somatropin approved for?
Growth hormone deficiency in children and adults, and growth failure from Turner syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, chronic kidney disease, being born small for gestational age without catch-up growth, idiopathic short stature, and in some brands HIV wasting and short bowel syndrome. Exact indications vary by brand and are listed on each label. 3
Is growth hormone approved for anti-aging or bodybuilding?
No. Every approved indication is a diagnosed deficiency or a specific growth disorder, and the label directs that IGF-1 be kept within the normal range for age. The side effects of excess growth hormone, fluid retention, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and raised blood sugar, are the same ones that limit off-label use. 3
Why are Humatrope and Nutropin going away?
Business decisions by the manufacturers, not safety problems. Genentech stopped Nutropin in 2024 and Lilly is ending Humatrope at the end of 2026. The market has shifted toward weekly long-acting growth hormones such as somapacitan and toward lower-priced daily brands. 12
What is the difference between somatropin and somapacitan or sermorelin?
Somatropin is the hormone itself, injected daily. Somapacitan is the same hormone modified to last a week. Sermorelin is a fragment of GHRH, the hypothalamic signal that tells the pituitary to make growth hormone, so it only works if the pituitary can respond. 3
What are the main risks?
Fluid retention, joint pain, carpal tunnel symptoms and raised blood sugar are the common ones. The label warns against use in active cancer, critical illness and severely obese children with Prader-Willi syndrome. Whether long-term treatment raises cancer risk through IGF-1 is still monitored in registries. 3
Citations
- Genentech statement, March 2024: discontinuation of Nutropin gene.com
- Lilly: Humatrope discontinuation notice for healthcare providers humatrope.lilly.com
- Norditropin (somatropin) prescribing information, Novo Nordisk novo-pi.com