Sermorelin vs tesamorelin: how they differ, which is FDA-approved and for what, the risks on the label, and what to ask a physician.
Sermorelin and tesamorelin are both lab-made versions of the hormone that tells your pituitary gland to release growth hormone, but they are not interchangeable. Tesamorelin is an FDA-approved brand-name medicine (Egrifta) for one specific use. Sermorelin has no current brand-name product, so what is prescribed today is made by a compounding pharmacy. Neither is approved as a weight loss drug.
This article is general information, not medical advice or a dose recommendation. A physician decides whether either one is right for you.
What is the difference between sermorelin and tesamorelin?
| Sermorelin | Tesamorelin | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A synthetic version of the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). | A synthetic version of the full 44-amino-acid human growth hormone-releasing factor, with a small added chemical group. |
| Brand name | Geref, now discontinued. | Egrifta SV and Egrifta WR. |
| FDA-approved use | Geref was approved for children with growth failure from growth hormone deficiency, and for a diagnostic test. | Reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy. |
| What is prescribed today | A compounded product from a licensed pharmacy. | The approved brand, or use outside the approved indication, which is called off-label. |
| Weight loss | Not an approved use. | The label says it is not indicated for weight loss management. |
The table comes from the FDA notice on Geref, the Egrifta prescribing information and the National Library of Medicine’s PubChem entry, all linked in the sections below.
What do sermorelin and tesamorelin have in common?
Both work upstream of growth hormone. They do not contain growth hormone. They copy the signal your brain already uses to tell the pituitary to release it. PubChem describes sermorelin as a 29-amino acid peptide that matches the amino-terminal part of the 44-amino acid human hormone. The Egrifta prescribing information says tesamorelin is made up of the full 44 amino acid sequence, with a hexenoyl group attached to one end.
Because both rely on your own pituitary, both raise growth hormone only as far as your body allows. That is the main reason people compare them with growth hormone injections. It is not a reason to treat them as risk free, as the safety section below shows.
Which one is FDA-approved, and for what?
Tesamorelin. The label says Egrifta is indicated for the reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adult patients with lipodystrophy. Its initial U.S. approval was in 2010. That is the only approved use.
Sermorelin. An FDA notice in the Federal Register records that Geref vials were approved in 1997 for children with growth failure from idiopathic growth hormone deficiency, and that a second Geref product was approved in 1990 to test how well the pituitary releases growth hormone. The manufacturer told FDA in 2008 it was discontinuing both, and FDA determined they were not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness. The original brand is no longer sold, so sermorelin prescribed today is compounded by a licensed pharmacy for the individual patient.
FDA’s own position on compounded medicines is that compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, which means FDA does not verify their safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed. That is worth knowing before you choose any compounded product, from any provider.
Is tesamorelin or sermorelin better for belly fat or weight loss?
We cannot honestly say either one is “better”, because we found no head-to-head study and neither is approved for weight loss. What the label does say about tesamorelin is specific: it is approved for excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy, “is not indicated for weight loss management as it has a weight neutral effect”, and its long-term cardiovascular safety has not been established.
The label also tells doctors to consider the risks and benefits of continuing treatment in patients who have not had a reduction in visceral fat, which is the deep abdominal fat around the organs. Sermorelin is not a weight loss drug either. Our sermorelin guide says so plainly. If someone tells you either peptide will melt fat, ask what evidence they are relying on.
Can you take sermorelin and tesamorelin together?
We found no prescribing information or authoritative source that supports combining them. Both act on the same pathway, so using them together is a physician’s decision made against your bloodwork, not something to try on your own or take from an online forum.
What are the risks of each?
The tesamorelin label is the most detailed safety source for either peptide, so it is worth reading. It says Egrifta must not be used by people with disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (for example after pituitary surgery, a pituitary tumor, head irradiation or head trauma), by people with active cancer, by anyone with known hypersensitivity to it, or in pregnancy. Its listed warnings are:
- Increased risk of neoplasms. Any existing cancer should be inactive and its treatment complete first.
- Raised IGF-1. Tesamorelin increases IGF-1, a growth factor, and the label says the effects of prolonged elevation are unknown. It advises monitoring IGF-1.
- Fluid retention, which can include swelling, joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Glucose intolerance or diabetes. The label says to check glucose before and during treatment.
- Hypersensitivity reactions, which need immediate medical attention.
- Injection site reactions, reported in 25 percent of Egrifta-treated patients against 14 percent on placebo over the first 26 weeks.
The most commonly reported side effects, in more than 5 percent of patients, were joint pain, injection site redness and itching, pain in the arms or legs, swelling in the legs and muscle pain. For sermorelin there is no current prescribing information to quote, which is a reason to be extra careful about where it comes from and who is monitoring you. Our sermorelin guide says it is not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
How do sermorelin and tesamorelin work at HCG Near Me?
Both are prescription only and decided after review, not picked from a menu. You complete an intake form, a physician licensed in Florida reviews your health, and baseline bloodwork comes before and during a course, as our sermorelin page explains. Our peptide therapy page lists both peptides among the options we prescribe. Any use of tesamorelin outside its approved indication is off-label, and your physician explains that at review.
The clinic is at 917 SW 87th Ave, Miami, FL 33174, and you can call (786) 724-1199 if you would rather talk it through before filling in the form.
What should you ask before starting either one?
- Is this product FDA-approved, or compounded? Which pharmacy makes it?
- Is my use on the label or off-label, and why does that fit me?
- What bloodwork do I need first, including IGF-1 and glucose, and how often is it repeated?
- Do I have a history of cancer, pituitary problems or diabetes that you need to know about?
- What would make you stop the treatment?
Frequently asked questions
Is sermorelin or tesamorelin better?
Neither is better in general. They have different approvals and different jobs. Tesamorelin is approved for excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy. Sermorelin has no current brand and is compounded. Ask a physician which, if either, fits your situation.
Is sermorelin FDA-approved?
The brand-name sermorelin, Geref, was FDA-approved, but the manufacturer discontinued it in 2008. Sermorelin prescribed today is compounded, and FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA-approved.
Is tesamorelin FDA-approved?
Yes, as Egrifta, for the reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adult patients with lipodystrophy. Use for any other reason is off-label.
Does tesamorelin help you lose weight?
The label says Egrifta is not indicated for weight loss management as it has a weight neutral effect. It is approved for reducing excess abdominal fat in a specific group of patients.
Can you take sermorelin and tesamorelin together?
We found no label or authoritative source that supports it. Combining them is a physician’s decision, made against your bloodwork.
Do I need a prescription for either one?
Yes. Both are prescription medicines. Egrifta is labeled Rx only, and we review an intake form and bloodwork before prescribing anything.
Next step
To find out whether either peptide is right for you, start the free intake form. A physician reviews it, and the team contacts you to schedule your free appointment. For more on each option, see our sermorelin guide and the peptide therapy overview. Also comparing options? Read ipamorelin vs sermorelin, or see whether sermorelin comes as a tablet or pill.