Comparison
Sermorelin vs TUDCA
Side-by-side of Sermorelin and TUDCA. 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.
Sermorelin
Sermorelin peptide therapy uses a 29-amino-acid GHRH analog to raise endogenous GH. Dosing, half-life, sermorelin vs ipamorelin, and safety.
TUDCA
TUDCA is the taurine-conjugated form of ursodeoxycholic acid, a bile-acid molecule with replicated effects on liver function, ER stress, and bile flow.
Effects at a glance
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)
TUDCA
- •Bile-acid molecule (taurine-conjugated UDCA) with chemical chaperone activity at the endoplasmic reticulum
- •Established pharmaceutical use for cholestasis and primary biliary cholangitis at 500-750 mg/day
- •Reduces ER stress and stabilizes misfolded proteins; the mechanistic basis for emerging ALS / retinal applications
- •Modest improvements in NAFLD markers and insulin sensitivity at 500-1,750 mg/day in small trials
- •Mitochondrial protection signal in animal models drives the longevity-supplement positioning
- •Generally well-tolerated; mild GI effects are the main dose-dependent issue
Side-by-side
| Attribute | Sermorelin | TUDCA |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | supplement |
| Also known as | Sermorelin acetate, GRF 1-29, Geref, GHRH (1-29) NH2 | tauroursodeoxycholic acid, taurine-conjugated UDCA |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.25 | 4 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.3 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | 1-2x daily | daily, divided into 2 doses with food |
| Routes | subcutaneous | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 0.25 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 0.5 | 2 |
| Molecular weight | 3357.88 | 499.7 |
| Molecular formula | C149H246N44O42S | C26H45NO6S |
| Mechanism | 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. | Bile-acid signaling via FXR/TGR5 receptors; chemical chaperone reducing ER stress and unfolded protein response; mitochondrial protection through reduced outer-membrane permeabilization. |
| Legal status | FDA approved 1997 (Geref, pediatric GHD); voluntarily discontinued by Serono 2008; compounded by 503A/503B pharmacies for off-label adult use; banned by WADA | OTC dietary supplement (US); pharmaceutical in Italy and several Asian countries |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | Rx only via compounding (no controlled-substance schedule) | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Category C (historical labeling); not recommended in pregnancy | Insufficient data for supplement use; UDCA used in cholestasis of pregnancy |
| CAS | 86168-78-7 | 14605-22-2 |
| PubChem CID | 16129617 | 9848818 |
| Wikidata | Q416620 | Q418751 |
Safety profile
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)
TUDCA
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- diarrhea (dose-dependent)
- constipation (rare)
- nausea
Contraindications
- complete biliary obstruction
- pregnancy / lactation (insufficient supplement-dose data)
- active GI disease without medical supervision
Interactions
- cyclosporine, oral contraceptives, fat-soluble vitamins: modest absorption changes via altered bile-acid pool(minor)
- phenylbutyrate: synergistic for ALS use (Relyvrio combination); consult clinician(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
TUDCA comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 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 growth-hormone axis, pick Sermorelin.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick Sermorelin.
- → If your priority is liver function, pick TUDCA.
- → If your priority is mitochondrial function, pick TUDCA.
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, TUDCA is the more accessible choice.
Default choice: TUDCA. 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 Sermorelin and TUDCA?
Sermorelin and TUDCA differ in category (peptide vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, Sermorelin or TUDCA?
Sermorelin half-life is 0.25 hours; TUDCA half-life is 4 hours.
Can you stack Sermorelin with TUDCA?
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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