Sermorelin Tablets vs Injections: What Is Documented

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Short answer: No published human study has tested sermorelin tablets, oral sermorelin or sublingual sermorelin, so there is no published absorption data to compare tablets with injections (our sermorelin therapy guide covers the basics of the peptide). Sermorelin sold today is compounded. The non-injected route with published human data is intranasal, where a 1993 study measured bioavailability of only 3-5% (Wilton et al., 1993).

This page sets out what is documented for each route: the human studies and the gaps.

What do studies say about oral or sublingual sermorelin?

The evidence is not published. Sermorelin is the 29 amino acid fragment of human growth hormone-releasing hormone, listed in PubChem under names including GHRH(1-29)NH2 and GRF(1-29)NH2 (PubChem; Prakash and Goa, 1999). No human study of sermorelin given as a tablet, swallowed or held under the tongue (sublingual or buccal) has been published.

That means there are no published figures on how much sermorelin from a tablet reaches the bloodstream, or whether it changes growth hormone levels in people.

What do studies say about sermorelin by other routes?

Published human data exist for intravenous (IV), subcutaneous (under the skin) and intranasal use. The table summarizes what each cited study measured. The studies differ in dose, population and design, so the rows cannot be compared as a ranking.

Route	Study	Who	What was reported
IV and subcutaneous	Prakash and Goa 1999 (review)	Children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency; IV diagnostic use	IV and subcutaneous sermorelin “specifically stimulate growth hormone secretion from the anterior pituitary”; subcutaneous dosing studied once daily at bedtime
Intranasal vs IV	Wilton 1993	30 healthy men aged 19 to 43	Nasal absorption “low,” bioavailability “only 3-5%”; about 50 mcg/kg intranasal was roughly as potent as 1 mcg/kg IV
Intranasal, 6 months	Hummelink 1993	8 children with growth hormone deficiency	Responses fell over time; antibodies appeared in 3 children after 6 weeks; most had local nasal reactions
IV, subcutaneous, intranasal	Vance 1986	Normal men; tested a modified analog, [Nle27]GHRH(1-29)-NH2, not sermorelin itself	Subcutaneous needed a tenfold higher dose than IV for a comparable growth hormone response; intranasal needed a thirtyfold higher dose for about one fifth of the response
Inhaled, subcutaneous, intranasal	Pinski 1993	Rats only	At 150 mcg/kg, growth hormone peaks of 355 (inhaled), 246 (subcutaneous) and 175 (intranasal) ng/mL

Intravenous and subcutaneous

A 1999 drug review describes sermorelin as “the shortest synthetic peptide with full biological activity of GHRH.” It reports that IV and subcutaneous sermorelin stimulate growth hormone secretion, and that the treatment studies in children used once-daily subcutaneous injection at bedtime (Prakash and Goa, BioDrugs 1999).

Intranasal

In 30 healthy men, the researchers reported that absorption of GHRH(1-29)-NH2 through the nasal lining “was found to be low, and the bioavailability was only 3-5%.” An intranasal dose of about 50 mcg/kg was approximately as potent as 1 mcg/kg given by IV (Wilton et al., 1993).

A 6-month pilot study gave intranasal GHRH(1-29)-NH2 three times a day to 8 children. Growth hormone peaks were reduced after 6 weeks in most patients and further reduced at 6 months, and antibodies to GHRH appeared in 3 children. The authors concluded that intranasal GHRH “is not suitable in its present form for use in children, because of decreasing absorption and effectiveness with concomitant development of antibodies and local reactions” (Hummelink et al., 1993).

Inhaled (animal data only)

One 1993 study in rats gave GHRH(1-29)NH2 by several routes. Among the groups given 150 mcg/kg, growth hormone responses were highest after inhalation, then subcutaneous injection, then intranasal use; a separate IV group received a much lower dose (Pinski et al., 1993). This was an animal study, and it did not test tablets.

What side effects were reported in these studies?

The 1999 review reports that “transient facial flushing and pain at injection site were the most commonly reported adverse events” with IV and subcutaneous sermorelin in children (Prakash and Goa, 1999). In the intranasal pilot, most children reported sneezing right after use, a runny nose and mild burning inside the nose, and treatment was stopped in 2 of the 8 children (Hummelink et al., 1993).

These findings come from older studies in specific groups and do not describe every possible reaction. Talk to a licensed provider about your health history and any medicines you take, and see our longevity safety information. In an emergency, call 911.

Sermorelin tablets vs injections at a glance

	Sermorelin tablets (oral or sublingual)	Sermorelin injections
Published human absorption data	None published	Human studies of IV and subcutaneous use (Prakash and Goa 1999)
Offered through PrescribedRX?	No	Yes, compounded sermorelin injection

Sermorelin offered through PrescribedRX

PrescribedRX offers sermorelin as Sermorelin Injection 1mg/ml 3ml, listed as a nightly injection that is provider-dosed. It is compounded. Compounded medications are prepared by licensed pharmacies and are not FDA-approved. PrescribedRX does not offer sermorelin tablets.

• 3 month plan $369 · $123/mo · Billed every 3 months. Cancel anytime.
• Monthly plan $199 a month

A licensed provider decides whether it is appropriate for you, and your provider sets the dose. See the sermorelin injection plan, other longevity treatments and pricing, or check your eligibility. Availability varies by state. For more background, read our sermorelin therapy guide, the sermorelin dosage overview, and our comparisons of ipamorelin vs sermorelin and tesamorelin vs sermorelin.

Sources

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary: Sermorelin, CID 16132413. PubChem. Accessed Oct 2026.
2. Prakash A, Goa KL. Sermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency. BioDrugs. 1999;12(2):139-57. PubMed. Accessed Oct 2026.
3. Wilton P, Chardet Y, Danielson K, Widlund L, Gunnarsson R. Pharmacokinetics of growth hormone-releasing hormone(1-29)-NH2 and stimulation of growth hormone secretion in healthy subjects after intravenous or intranasal administration. Acta Paediatr Suppl. 1993;388:10-5. PubMed. Accessed Oct 2026.
4. Hümmelink R, Sippell WG, Benoit KG, Danielson K, Faijerson Y. Intranasal administration of growth hormone-releasing hormone(1-29)-NH2 in children with growth hormone deficiency. Acta Paediatr Suppl. 1993;388:23-6. PubMed. Accessed Oct 2026.
5. Vance ML, Evans WS, Kaiser DL, et al. The effect of intravenous, subcutaneous, and intranasal GH-RH analog, [Nle27]GHRH(1-29)-NH2, on growth hormone secretion in normal men. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1986;40(6):627-33. PubMed. Accessed Oct 2026.
6. Pinski J, Yano T, Groot K, et al. Comparison of GH-stimulation by GH-RH(1-29)NH2 and an agmatine29 GH-RH analog, after intravenous, subcutaneous and intranasal administration and after pulmonary inhalation in rats. Int J Pept Protein Res. 1993;41(3):246-9. PubMed. Accessed Oct 2026.

This article is for general information. It is not medical advice and it is not a recommendation for any particular treatment. Whether a treatment is appropriate for you is a decision for a licensed clinician who has reviewed your health history and current medications.