Comparison
Clomiphene vs Sermorelin
Side-by-side of Clomiphene 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.
Clomiphene
Clomiphene citrate raises LH/FSH and endogenous testosterone in men. SERM TRT alternative, 25 to 50 mg, fertility preserved, visual side effects flagged.
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
Clomiphene
- •SERM that blocks estrogen-receptor negative feedback at the hypothalamus, raising LH and FSH
- •FDA approved 1967 for ovulation induction in anovulatory women at 50 to 100 mg cycle days 5 to 9
- •Off-label in men at 12.5 to 25 mg daily raises endogenous testosterone while preserving fertility
- •Enclomiphene (trans-isomer) is preferred for male use; cleaner PK and less estrogenic side effect burden
- •Visual disturbances occur in ~1 to 2% of users; persistent symptoms warrant immediate cessation
- •Letrozole has displaced clomiphene as first-line ovulation induction in PCOS (Legro 2014)
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 | Clomiphene | Sermorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | pharmaceutical | peptide |
| Also known as | Clomid, clomiphene citrate, Serophene, enclomiphene | Sermorelin acetate, GRF 1-29, Geref, GHRH (1-29) NH2 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 168 | 0.25 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 0.3 |
| Dosing frequency | 5-day pulse cycle days 5 to 9 (women); daily or every other day (men, off-label) | 1-2x daily |
| Routes | oral | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 6 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 7 | 0.5 |
| Molecular weight | 405.96 | 3357.88 |
| Molecular formula | C26H28ClNO | C149H246N44O42S |
| Mechanism | Selective estrogen receptor modulator that antagonizes estrogen at the hypothalamus and pituitary, increasing GnRH and gonadotropin output, which drives gonadal steroidogenesis. | 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 | Prescription only (FDA approved for ovulation induction; off-label in men) | 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 | Rx only (not a controlled substance) | Rx only via compounding (no controlled-substance schedule) |
| Pregnancy | Category X; contraindicated in pregnancy | Category C (historical labeling); not recommended in pregnancy |
| CAS | 911-45-5 | 86168-78-7 |
| PubChem CID | 1548953 | 16129617 |
| Wikidata | Q416785 | Q416620 |
Safety profile
Clomiphene
Common side effects
- hot flushes
- mood changes
- abdominal discomfort
- breast tenderness
- visual disturbances (rare)
- headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active liver disease
- ovarian cysts (not PCOS-related)
- uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disorder
- abnormal uterine bleeding of undetermined origin
- hormone-sensitive cancer
Interactions
- tamoxifen: competing SERM activity; not used together(moderate)
- ospemifene: competing SERM activity(moderate)
- anastrozole: additive estrogen reduction; sometimes combined in male protocols(minor)
- TRT (exogenous testosterone): TRT suppresses HPT axis that clomiphene targets; do not combine(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?
Clomiphene and Sermorelin score evenly on the criteria we weight (goal breadth, legal accessibility, evidence depth). The conditionals below should drive the decision more than any aggregate score.
- → If your priority is hormonal optimization, pick Clomiphene.
- → If your priority is fertility, pick Clomiphene.
- → 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, Clomiphene is the only oral option in this pair.
Default choice: either is defensible. Clomiphene edges out on goal breadth + legal accessibility; Sermorelin is the right call if your priority sits in the goals listed 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 Clomiphene and Sermorelin?
Clomiphene and Sermorelin differ in category (pharmaceutical vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Clomiphene or Sermorelin?
Clomiphene half-life is 168 hours; Sermorelin half-life is 0.25 hours.
Can you stack Clomiphene 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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