Growth hormone treatments in adults
Growth hormone (GH) treatment in adults is a licensed, NHS-prescribed therapy for genuine GH deficiency — and one of the most abused molecules in the "optimisation" market. The distinction matters.
The legitimate route
Adult GH deficiency (pituitary disease, hypothalamic-pituitary surgery/radiation, severe head trauma) is diagnosed by endocrinologists with stimulation testing (insulin tolerance or glucagon tests) and treated with daily GH injections under NHS specialist supervision, dose-titrated to IGF-1.
What private clinics sell
- Sermorelin/ tesamorelin/CJC-ipamorelin — GH secretagogues (stimulate your own GH). Sermorelin is prescribed by some US anti-ageing clinics; UK use is niche, often alongside peptide therapy (peptide rules).
- Actual GH ("pharma grade" or grey-market) without deficiency — illegal to supply without prescription in the UK; source purity unverifiable; side-effects (carpal tunnel, oedema, insulin resistance) untreated because nobody monitors.
The honest evidence
GH replacement in genuinely deficient adults improves body composition and quality of life measures. In non-deficient healthy men, evidence for benefit is weak while risk (IGF-1 elevation and cancer-risk questions) is real — the reason NHS prescribing is test-gated, subscription-gated and monitored.
If you suspect deficiency
Symptoms: central fat gain, poor recovery, low endurance, reduced bone density. The path is GP → endocrinology referral → stimulation testing. Private endocrinology can shortcut the queue — our clinic directory lists clinics stating endocrinologist involvement (e.g. Origin TRT's Dr Paul Grant is a consultant endocrinologist).
Sources: NHS GH deficiency pathways; endocrine society statements; clinic published pages verified 2026-10-08. Not medical advice.
Information directory — medically reviewed sources cited per page · Source-checked 2026-10-09 · Independent information directory — not medical advice.