Comparison
Bromantane vs Sermorelin
Side-by-side of Bromantane and Sermorelin. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
Bromantane
Bromantane, the Russian nootropic sold as Ladasten (ADK-709), acts on dopamine to cut fatigue and anxiety without classical stimulant rebound.
Sermorelin
Sermorelin peptide therapy uses a 29-amino-acid GHRH analog to raise endogenous GH. Dosing, half-life, sermorelin vs ipamorelin, and safety.
Effects at a glance
Bromantane
- •Russian RCT base (Voznesenskaya 2010, n=728) supports 50 mg daily for asthenia and fatigue over 4 weeks
- •Atypical actogenic mechanism: induces tyrosine hydroxylase rather than direct monoamine release
- •Subjective profile is anxiolytic plus mildly motivating, distinct from classical stimulants
- •Long half-life of around 11 hours supports once-daily morning dosing
- •WADA-banned since 1996; relevant for tested athletes
- •Western evidence base is thin; most published trials are Russian-language and not independently replicated
Sermorelin
- •Synthetic 29-amino-acid GHRH fragment; FDA approved 1997 for pediatric GH deficiency as Geref
- •Voluntarily discontinued by Serono in 2008 for commercial reasons; not safety-related
- •Compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label adult anti-aging and body-composition use
- •Produces physiologic pulsatile GH release; ~10 to 20 minute plasma half-life
- •Standard anti-aging clinic protocol: 200 to 500 mcg subcutaneously pre-bed, often with ipamorelin
- •Banned by WADA under S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors)
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Bromantane | Sermorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | nootropic | peptide |
| Also known as | Ladasten, ADK-709, N-(4-bromophenyl)adamantan-2-amine | Sermorelin acetate, GRF 1-29, Geref, GHRH (1-29) NH2 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 11 | 0.25 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 75 | 0.3 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, morning | 1-2x daily |
| Routes | oral | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 3 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 168 | 0.5 |
| Molecular weight | 280.21 | 3357.88 |
| Molecular formula | C16H20BrN | C149H246N44O42S |
| Mechanism | Indirect dopaminergic and serotonergic actogenic activity via induction of tyrosine hydroxylase and selective increases in serotonin synthesis in hippocampus and hypothalamus. | Synthetic 29-amino-acid GHRH fragment that binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs to stimulate endogenous pulsatile GH synthesis and release while preserving the GH-IGF-1 negative feedback loop. |
| Legal status | Approved in Russia (Ladasten); unscheduled and unapproved in US, EU, UK | FDA approved 1997 (Geref, pediatric GHD); voluntarily discontinued by Serono 2008; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label adult use; banned by WADA |
| WADA status | banned | banned |
| DEA / Rx | Not scheduled in the US | Rx only via compounding (no controlled-substance schedule) |
| Pregnancy | Not recommended | Category C (historical labeling); not recommended in pregnancy |
| CAS | 87913-26-6 | 86168-78-7 |
| PubChem CID | 9576456 | 16129617 |
| Wikidata | Q4093816 | Q416620 |
Safety profile
Bromantane
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache
- skin rash
- occasional insomnia at higher doses
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- severe hepatic impairment
- severe renal impairment
- pediatric use
Interactions
- MAOIs: theoretical additive dopaminergic and serotonergic activity(major)
- levodopa and dopamine agonists: additive dopaminergic activity(moderate)
- SSRIs and other serotonergic drugs: theoretical serotonergic additivity(moderate)
- classical stimulants: theoretical additive activity, undocumented(moderate)
Sermorelin
Common side effects
- injection-site pain or irritation
- transient flushing
- headache
- vivid dreams (pre-bed dosing)
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy
- history of pituitary tumor
- diabetic retinopathy (theoretical)
- untreated hypothyroidism
Interactions
- ipamorelin: synergistic GH release via parallel GHRH and ghrelin pathways; standard anti-aging clinic pairing(minor)
- CJC-1295: pharmacologically redundant (both GHRH-pathway); typically not stacked(minor)
- insulin: sustained GH can blunt insulin sensitivity over weeks(moderate)
- corticosteroids: blunt GH response; reduce expected efficacy(moderate)
- levothyroxine (untreated hypothyroidism): untreated hypothyroidism blunts GH response; correct thyroid first(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
Sermorelin comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, FDA approved 1997 (Geref, pediatric GHD); voluntarily discontinued by Serono 2008; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label adult use; banned by WADA, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Bromantane is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Bromantane.
- → If your priority is fatigue resistance, pick Bromantane.
- → If your priority is growth-hormone axis, pick Sermorelin.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick Sermorelin.
Edge case: If you cannot self-administer injections, Bromantane is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: Sermorelin. Wider use case, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Bromantane only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between Bromantane and Sermorelin?
Bromantane and Sermorelin differ in category (nootropic vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Bromantane or Sermorelin?
Bromantane half-life is 11 hours; Sermorelin half-life is 0.25 hours.
Can you stack Bromantane with Sermorelin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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