Comparison
DHEA vs Sermorelin
Side-by-side of DHEA 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.
DHEA
DHEA supplement profile: adrenal androgen precursor, typical 25-50 mg dose, DHEA-S targets, evidence for adrenal insufficiency and vaginal atrophy, side effec.
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
DHEA
- •Adrenal androgen precursor; serum DHEA-S declines progressively after the third decade of life
- •OTC dietary supplement in US under DSHEA 1994; prescription in EU, UK, Canada, Australia
- •FDA approved as Intrarosa (6.5 mg vaginal insert) for postmenopausal dyspareunia in 2016
- •Acts as tissue-specific prohormone converted intracrinologically to testosterone and estrogens
- •Best evidence: adrenal insufficiency replacement and vaginal atrophy; weaker on cognition and longevity
- •WADA banned in competitive sport; banned in NCAA, MLB, NFL, IOC settings
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 | DHEA | Sermorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | hormone | peptide |
| Also known as | dehydroepiandrosterone, prasterone, Intrarosa | Sermorelin acetate, GRF 1-29, Geref, GHRH (1-29) NH2 |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 12 | 0.25 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 0.3 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, typically morning | 1-2x daily |
| Routes | oral, vaginal, topical | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 0.25 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 0.5 |
| Molecular weight | 288.42 | 3357.88 |
| Molecular formula | C19H28O2 | C149H246N44O42S |
| Mechanism | Steroid prohormone converted intracrinologically to testosterone and estrogens in target tissues; also exerts direct effects via sigma-1 receptor, GABA-A modulation, and glucocorticoid receptor interaction. | 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 | OTC supplement in US (DSHEA 1994); prescription in EU, UK, Canada, Australia | 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 | OTC supplement in US (not scheduled); Rx in EU, UK, Canada, Australia | Rx only via compounding (no controlled-substance schedule) |
| Pregnancy | Contraindicated in pregnancy | Category C (historical labeling); not recommended in pregnancy |
| CAS | 53-43-0 | 86168-78-7 |
| PubChem CID | 5881 | 16129617 |
| Wikidata | Q411733 | Q416620 |
Safety profile
DHEA
Common side effects
- acne
- oily skin
- hirsutism (women)
- gynecomastia (men, higher doses)
- irritability
- insomnia
Contraindications
- hormone-sensitive cancer (breast, ovarian, prostate)
- active liver disease
- uncontrolled lipid disorder
- pregnancy and lactation
Interactions
- warfarin: case reports of altered INR; monitor(moderate)
- estrogens (HRT): additive estrogenic effect via conversion; monitor(moderate)
- insulin: may improve insulin sensitivity slightly; monitor glucose(minor)
- anastrozole: may reduce DHEA-derived estrogen; clinical relevance unclear(minor)
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?
DHEA comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Sermorelin is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is hormonal optimization, pick DHEA.
- → If your priority is growth-hormone axis, pick Sermorelin.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick Sermorelin.
Edge case: If you want to avoid FDA approved 1997 (Geref, pediatric GHD); voluntarily discontinued by Serono 2008; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label adult use; banned by WADA, DHEA is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: DHEA. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Sermorelin 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 DHEA and Sermorelin?
DHEA and Sermorelin differ in category (hormone vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, DHEA or Sermorelin?
DHEA half-life is 12 hours; Sermorelin half-life is 0.25 hours.
Can you stack DHEA 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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