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. Scientists insert the human gene into bacteria or mammalian cells. The cells make a protein of 191 amino acids, identical to the pituitary hormone. Before 1985, labs extracted growth hormone from cadaver pituitaries. Recombinant versions then took over. Lilly's Humatrope won approval in 1987. 23
Many brands followed. All contain the same protein. They come in different devices and formulations. Approved uses vary by brand. They center on growth hormone deficiency in children and adults. They also cover growth failure in several groups: Turner syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome and chronic kidney disease. They include children born small for gestational age who do not catch up. They include idiopathic short stature. The market has been shrinking to fewer brands. Genentech stopped making Nutropin in 2024. Lilly announced it will permanently discontinue Humatrope. Distribution ends December 31, 2026. Weekly long-acting products such as somapacitan are taking their place. 123
How it works
The pituitary releases growth hormone in pulses, mainly at night. It binds receptors on the liver, which responds by making IGF-1. It also binds receptors 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. It also shifts metabolism toward burning fat. Injected somatropin does the same job when the body makes too little. Doctors dose it by weight or by IGF-1 level. The label says to keep IGF-1 in the normal range for age. Too much growth hormone causes overgrowth of tissue, diabetes and joint disease. Acromegaly shows this. 3
What human research shows
In children with growth hormone deficiency, treatment typically doubles or triples height velocity in the first year. Continued through puberty, it brings most children into the normal adult height range. The label sums up the controlled trials behind each pediatric approved use. Children with Turner syndrome, small-for-gestational-age and idiopathic short stature grew more than untreated or placebo controls. In adults with deficiency, placebo-controlled trials show less body fat and more lean mass. Bone density improves over years. People can exercise more. Quality of life improves only a little. 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 several groups. They are people with active cancer or diabetic retinopathy. They also include people with acute critical illness, such as after open heart surgery or major trauma. The label also warns against use in children with Prader-Willi syndrome who are severely obese or have breathing problems. Deaths occurred in that group. Common effects are fluid retention with swelling, and joint or muscle pain. Others are carpal tunnel symptoms and headache. Blood glucose can rise and may progress to diabetes. In children, doctors watch for slipped hip growth plates, worse scoliosis and raised pressure in the skull. A long-running concern is whether growth hormone raises cancer risk through IGF-1. Large registries of treated children have been mostly reassuring about the original tumor coming back. But they have raised questions about second cancers after childhood cancer treatment. The label advises monitoring. Black-market growth hormone adds more hazards. The product may be fake, and no doctor sets the dose. 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. Also growth failure from several causes: Turner syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome and chronic kidney disease. Also being born small for gestational age without catch-up growth, and idiopathic short stature. Some brands add HIV wasting and short bowel syndrome. Exact approved uses vary by brand. Each label lists them. 3
Is growth hormone approved for anti-aging or bodybuilding?
No. Every approved use is a diagnosed deficiency or a specific growth disorder. The label says to keep IGF-1 within the normal range for age. Excess growth hormone causes fluid retention, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and raised blood sugar. These same effects limit off-label use. 3
Why are Humatrope and Nutropin going away?
These were business decisions by the makers, not safety problems. Genentech stopped Nutropin in 2024. Lilly is ending Humatrope at the end of 2026. The market has shifted toward weekly long-acting growth hormones such as somapacitan. It has also shifted 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. GHRH is the signal from the hypothalamus that tells the pituitary to make growth hormone. So sermorelin 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 and critical illness. It also warns against use in severely obese children with Prader-Willi syndrome. Registries still monitor whether long-term treatment raises cancer risk through IGF-1. 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