Balanced product information
Evidence, limitations and safety — in one consistent format.
This page separates authorised uses from investigational or reported uses. It does not provide personal medical advice or dosing instructions.
Product name
Somatropin (recombinant human growth hormone; HGH)
Catalogue label details describe what is displayed; they do not independently verify composition, quality, batch release or UK marketing authorisation.
What is it?
Somatropin is recombinant human growth hormone, a manufactured version of the hormone produced by the pituitary gland. It acts through growth-hormone receptors and increases insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).
Different authorised brands have specific devices, concentrations, indications and storage requirements.
Intended / recognised uses
Authorised / recognised uses
- Specific UK-authorised somatropin medicines are used by specialists for defined causes of growth failure in children and for confirmed severe growth-hormone deficiency in adults.
- Eligibility is diagnosis- and product-specific and normally follows specialist endocrine assessment.
Reported / non-authorised uses
- Anti-ageing, bodybuilding, general recovery and performance enhancement in otherwise healthy people are not authorised uses and may carry substantial risk.
How it works
Growth-hormone receptor activation increases IGF-1 production and affects bone and tissue growth, protein synthesis, fat metabolism and glucose regulation.
These broad metabolic actions explain why careful diagnosis and dose supervision are essential.
Potential benefits / effects
- In a correctly diagnosed child, treatment may improve growth velocity and final height depending on the underlying condition and timing.
- In adults with confirmed severe deficiency, treatment may improve body composition and selected quality-of-life measures.
- These benefits do not support use for cosmetic, anti-ageing or athletic purposes.
Potential benefit is not a guarantee of benefit for any individual.
Risks & warnings
- Risks include fluid retention, altered glucose control or diabetes, raised intracranial pressure, thyroid changes and worsening of certain orthopaedic problems in children.
- Active malignancy is an important contraindication; tumour history and recurrence risk require specialist review.
- Somatropin has been associated with increased mortality in certain critically ill patients receiving pharmacologic doses.
Possible side effects
Common or recognised side effects
- Fluid retention, swelling, joint or muscle pain, tingling or carpal-tunnel symptoms, headache and injection-site reactions.
- Children and adults can have different adverse-effect patterns.
Serious or urgent concerns
- Severe headache with visual symptoms, signs of high blood glucose, serious allergy or marked swelling/breathlessness needs prompt assessment.
- In children, a limp or hip/knee pain may indicate slipped capital femoral epiphysis and requires urgent review.
Who should not use it / precautions
- It must not be used with active malignancy or to promote growth after the growth plates have closed.
- Acute critical illness, previous cancer, diabetes, intracranial hypertension, thyroid disease, scoliosis and kidney disease require specialist assessment.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and all paediatric use require product-specific specialist advice.
Interactions
- Glucocorticoids can oppose growth-promoting effects; thyroid replacement may require review.
- Insulin or other diabetes treatment may need adjustment by the treating clinician because somatropin can affect glucose sensitivity.
- Oral oestrogen and medicines metabolised through certain liver enzymes can affect or be affected by treatment; a pharmacist or prescriber should review the full medicine list.
Regulatory / legal status
- Somatropin is prescription-only in the UK and licensed only in specific medicinal products for defined indications.
- The HELIX 120 IU pen shown here has not been verified as a UK-authorised somatropin product and cannot inherit the licence of another brand.
Monitoring / professional supervision
- Specialist monitoring commonly includes diagnosis confirmation, growth and pubertal development in children, symptoms and quality-of-life measures in adults, and serum IGF-1.
- Thyroid function, glucose or HbA1c, eye symptoms, fluid retention, orthopaedic symptoms and tumour surveillance may be relevant according to clinical history.
Labelled HGH 90 IU / 30 mg click guide
This table is a labelled pen-volume reference only. It is not personal dosing advice, and medical assessment/professional supervision is required before any use.
Evidence & sources
Sources are selected for regulatory status, recognised uses and material safety information. They do not validate the HELIX-labelled presentation.
- NICE TA188 — Human growth hormone for growth failure in children
- BNF — Somatropin
- Electronic Medicines Compendium — Search authorised somatropin product information
- MHRA — Yellow Card adverse-event reporting
Sources accessed and content reviewed 12 September 2026. Regulatory status can change; consult the current official record.
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Licensed-provider information
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