HGH (Somatropin) Dosage & Reconstitution Guide

Reconstitution

HGH (Somatropin) ships as a freeze-dried (lyophilized) powder that has to be mixed with bacteriostatic water before use. Draw 1 mL of bacteriostatic water into a syringe and add it to a 10 IU vial, letting the stream run down the inside wall of the glass rather than blasting the powder directly. Swirl gently — never shake — until the solution is clear, then keep it refrigerated.

Worked example. 1 mL into a 10 IU vial gives a concentration of 10 IU/mL. A 2 IU dose then works out to 0.2 mL = 20 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. Scale the water volume up or down to make your target dose land on an easy-to-read mark (1 unit = 0.01 mL).

1. Wipe both vial stoppers (peptide and bacteriostatic water) with an alcohol swab and let them dry.
2. Draw 1 mL of bacteriostatic water into a syringe.
3. Inject it slowly against the inside wall of the peptide vial.
4. Swirl gently until fully dissolved; do not shake.
5. Label the vial with the contents, concentration, and date, and store it in the refrigerator.

Dosing schedule

Timing & cycling

AM fasted and/or pre-bed; keep injections away from carbohydrate meals to limit blood-sugar spikes.

Cycle length. Often run continuously for 3-6 months or longer; some dose 5 days on, 2 off, and take periodic breaks to preserve insulin sensitivity.

Storage & handling

Keep the lyophilized (unmixed) vial refrigerated at 2–8 °C (36–46 °F) in a dry, dark place — it tolerates short periods at room temperature during shipping. Once reconstituted, store it at 2–8 °C, never frozen, and use it within about 2–4 weeks (sooner if the solution turns cloudy or discolored). Swab the stopper before every draw and use a fresh needle each time.

Supplies you'll need

• HGH (Somatropin) vials — about 23 for an 8-week run at the upper dose
• Bacteriostatic water — 1 mL per vial (a 10–30 mL multi-dose bottle covers several vials)
• U-100 insulin syringes (0.3–0.5 mL / 30–50 unit barrels are easiest to read) — roughly 56 for 8 weeks, plus spares
• Alcohol swabs — one per injection and one per vial draw
• Sharps container for safe needle disposal

Key points

• HGH is dosed in International Units (IU); roughly 1 IU is about 0.33 mg of somatropin.
• Start at 1 IU/day and increase slowly over weeks to reduce water retention and joint pain.
• Effects are largely mediated by IGF-1; monitor IGF-1 to stay in a physiologic range rather than chasing high numbers.
• Because it lowers insulin sensitivity, track fasting glucose and HbA1c, and be cautious if prediabetic or diabetic.
• Refrigerate reconstituted vials and use bacteriostatic water for multi-day vials.

What to monitor

IGF-1, fasting glucose and HbA1c, and blood pressure; also watch for edema, joint pain, and carpal tunnel symptoms.

Legal & prescription status

Somatropin is an FDA-approved prescription drug for growth hormone deficiency and certain other conditions. Anti-aging, athletic, and bodybuilding use is off-label and not FDA-approved, and research-vendor product is sold not for human consumption. Banned by WADA.

References

1. FDA Label - Norditropin (somatropin) Prescribing Information
2. Rudman et al., GH in Men over 60 (NEJM 1990)
3. Liu et al., GH in the Healthy Elderly systematic review (2007)