What are the side effects of HGH (Somatropin)?
The most commonly reported HGH (Somatropin) side effects are water retention / edema, carpal tunnel symptoms, insulin resistance / elevated fasting glucose. Most are mild and tend to be dose dependent. It is generally avoided with active malignancy. Human clinical evidence for HGH (Somatropin) is limited, so this reflects reported and observed effects, not a complete safety profile.
Reported HGH (Somatropin) side effects
- Water retention / edema
- Carpal tunnel symptoms
- Insulin resistance / elevated fasting glucose
- Joint stiffness
- Acromegalic features at chronic high dose
Who should avoid it
- Active malignancy
- Active diabetic retinopathy
- Acute critical illness (post open-heart or abdominal surgery, multiple trauma, or acute respiratory failure, raised mortality in ICU trials)
- Pregnancy / nursing
- No legitimate medical indication
Bloodwork worth tracking
- IGF-1
- Fasting glucose / A1C
- TSH / fT4
- ALT/AST
References
- Growth Hormone Treatment in Adults with Growth Hormone Deficiency (clinical practice guideline) — Molitch ME et al., JCEM, 2011
- The effects of treatment with recombinant human growth hormone on body composition and metabolism in adults with growth hormone deficiency — Salomon F, Cuneo RC, Hesp R, et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 1989
- Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old — Rudman D, Feller AG, Nagraj HS, et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 1990
Pepdex is an editorial reference, not medical advice. Peptides vary in legal and approval status by country, many are research compounds without full human safety data. Talk to a qualified clinician before starting anything.
More on HGH (Somatropin)
Last updated 2026-06-06.