What HGH is
HGH is human growth hormone. The drug is called somatropin. The approved labels describe it as a human growth hormone produced by recombinant DNA technology, a protein of 191 amino acid residues whose amino acid sequence is identical to that of human growth hormone of pituitary origin. The Omnitrope label gives its molecular weight as approximately 22,125 daltons and the Zomacton label as about 22,124 daltons.
The approved labels count somatropin in milligrams. Each of the three vial labels this page rests on, Omnitrope, Serostim and Zomacton, sizes its vial in mg. Neither the Omnitrope label nor the Zomacton label mentions IU at all.
Two of the labels read for this page do print IU beside milligrams, for their own products. The Humatrope label, which is for cartridges and not vials, says each cartridge "contains either 6 mg (18 IU), 12 mg (36 IU), or 24 mg (72 IU) of somatropin". That's 3 IU to the mg. The Serostim label describes animal studies at "0.033, 0.33 and 3.33 mg/kg (0.1, 1 and 10 IU/kg)", which puts 1 IU beside 0.33 mg. The Humatrope label also describes a study dose of "0.1 mg/kg (0.27 IU/kg)", which puts 0.27 IU beside 0.1 mg, a different ratio from the one on its own cartridges.
Those figures are those labels', for those products. Neither label says how they were worked out, none of the three vial labels sizes a vial in IU, and nothing read for this page says what an IU means on any other vial. So this page doesn't turn milligrams into IU or IU into milligrams.
The calculator asks what your vial is labelled in. Choose mg and the dose is in mg or mcg. Choose IU and the dose is in IU. It never converts one into the other, and changing the choice empties the amounts you typed.
The units on an insulin syringe are something else again. They measure volume, 100 to the mL on a U-100 syringe. How much HGH one of those units holds depends on how much water went into the vial.
Where it stands with the FDA
Somatropin is FDA-approved as a prescription drug, under several brand names. This page rests on three labels on DailyMed, the National Library of Medicine's collection of drug labels, for products that come as a powder in a vial: Omnitrope from Sandoz Inc, Serostim from EMD Serono, Inc., and Zomacton from Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.
The Omnitrope and Serostim labels print "Initial U.S. Approval: 1987" and the Zomacton label prints 1995. An FDA list of approved applications for biological products that were deemed to be licenses on March 23, 2020 gives the date each brand's own application was first approved: Humatrope on March 8, 1987, Zomacton on May 25, 1995, Serostim on August 23, 1996 and Omnitrope on May 30, 2006.
The Omnitrope and Zomacton labels list growth failure or short stature in children from several named causes, among them inadequate secretion of endogenous growth hormone, Turner syndrome and idiopathic short stature, and the replacement of endogenous growth hormone in adults with growth hormone deficiency. The Serostim label lists one use, the treatment of adults with HIV and wasting or cachexia, and adds "Concomitant antiretroviral therapy is necessary." Those are the uses these three labels list.
All three labels say the product is for subcutaneous use, which means under the skin. The Zomacton label says its vials "can be administered using a standard sterile disposable syringe" and that the volume of the syringe should be small enough that the prescribed dose can be withdrawn from the vial with reasonable accuracy. The Omnitrope vial's instructions call for sterile disposable 1 mL syringes. The Serostim label says to use a standard sterile, disposable syringe and needle. None of the three uses the words insulin syringe. This calculator converts into the units of a U-100 insulin syringe and shows mL beside them, so the mL figure is the one to hold against a label.
Not every approved somatropin product is a vial. The Omnitrope label also covers cartridges, and says each one must be inserted into its corresponding Omnitrope pen. The Humatrope label says each of its cartridges is designed for use only with the pen made for it. This calculator doesn't cover a pen or a cartridge.
The Zomacton label says somatropin "is not a controlled substance". The same section says "Inappropriate use of somatropin may result in significant negative health consequences."
What the labels say
The labels don't give one dose. The Omnitrope label says "The dosage of OMNITROPE must be adjusted for the individual patient." The Zomacton label says therapy "should be supervised by a physician who is experienced in the diagnosis and management of patients with the conditions for which ZOMACTON is indicated".
For children, the Omnitrope and Zomacton labels set dosage by body weight and by the condition treated, and their figures aren't the same. As one example, for pediatric growth hormone deficiency the Omnitrope label says "Generally, a dosage of 0.16 to 0.24 mg/kg body weight/week is recommended", with the weekly dose divided over 6 or 7 days of subcutaneous injections.
For adults with growth hormone deficiency, the Zomacton label gives two regimens. One, not based on weight, reads "Initiate ZOMACTON with a dose of approximately 0.2 mg/day (range, 0.15 mg/day to 0.3 mg/day) and increase the dose every 1 to 2 months by increments of approximately 0.1 mg/day to 0.2 mg/day, according to individual patient requirements based on the clinical response and serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) concentrations." Under that regimen the label says "Maintenance dosages will vary considerably from person to person, and between male and female patients." The other reads "Initiate ZOMACTON at 0.006 mg/kg daily and increase the dose according to individual patient requirements to a maximum of 0.0125 mg/kg daily." Of that one the label says "Not recommended for obese patients as they are more likely to experience adverse reactions with this regimen."
For adults with HIV and wasting or cachexia, the Serostim label says "The usual starting dose of SEROSTIM is 0.1 mg/kg subcutaneously once daily (up to a total dose of 6 mg)." It goes on to say that a starting dose of Serostim "0.1 mg/kg every other day should be considered in patients at increased risk for adverse effects".
Those dosages are the labels', for the uses the labels cover and under a physician's supervision. This page reports them and doesn't suggest a dose.
The Zomacton label lists who mustn't be given it: patients with acute critical illness after open heart surgery, abdominal surgery or multiple accidental trauma, or with acute respiratory failure; certain pediatric patients with Prader-Willi syndrome; patients with active malignancy; patients with a known hypersensitivity to somatropin or to any of its excipients; patients with active proliferative or severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy; and pediatric patients with closed epiphyses.
On the first of those, the label says two placebo-controlled trials in adults without growth hormone deficiency who had these conditions, 522 patients in intensive care units, "revealed a significant increase in mortality (42% vs. 19%)" among those treated with somatropin at 5.3 to 8 mg a day, compared to those receiving placebo. It adds that Zomacton "is not indicated for the treatment of non-GH deficient adults".
The Zomacton label says it "may decrease insulin sensitivity, particularly at higher doses". It says common adverse reactions reported in adult and pediatric patients include "upper respiratory infection, fever, pharyngitis, headache, otitis media, edema, arthralgia, paresthesia, myalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral edema, flu syndrome, hypothyroidism, hyperglycemia, and impaired glucose tolerance".
On taking too much, the label says "Acute overdosage may lead initially to hypoglycemia and subsequently to hyperglycemia. Overdose with somatropin is likely to cause fluid retention." It adds "Long-term overdosage may result in signs and symptoms of gigantism or acromegaly consistent with the known effects of excess growth hormone."
The liquid a vial is mixed with matters too, and each label says when its own mustn't be used. The Zomacton label says not to use the 5 mg vial's diluent "if the patient has a known hypersensitivity to benzyl alcohol", in neonates, or in pregnant or lactating women, and to reconstitute with 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection instead, "use only one dose per vial, and discard the unused portion". It says not to use the 10 mg vial's diluent "if the patient has a known hypersensitivity to metacresol".
The Zomacton label says "Serious and fatal adverse reactions including "gasping syndrome" can occur in neonates and infants treated with benzyl alcohol-preserved drugs", including the diluent provided with its 5 mg vial, and "When administering ZOMACTON 5 mg to infants, reconstitute with 0.9% sodium chloride injection, not with the diluent provided."
The Serostim label says of its 4 mg vial's Bacteriostatic Water "Do not use this diluent if the patient has a known hypersensitivity to benzyl alcohol" or in pregnant or lactating women, and to reconstitute with Sterile Water for Injection instead and use only one dose per vial. The Omnitrope vial's diluent contains benzyl alcohol too, and its instructions say that after mixing it "contains a preservative and should not be used in newborns".
How the labels mix a vial
The Zomacton label says to reconstitute its 5 mg vial with 1 mL to 5 mL of the diluent that comes with it, and its 10 mg vial with the 1 mL syringe of diluent that comes with that one. The Serostim label says to reconstitute its 4 mg, 5 mg or 6 mg vial with 0.5 mL to 1 mL of diluent. The first three rows of the table are the Zomacton vials and the last four are Serostim's 4 mg and 6 mg vials, each at the ends of its range. The concentrations are this page's own division of the vial by the water. They aren't figures quoted from the labels, and the Omnitrope label shows that a label's strength after mixing can differ from that division. The Omnitrope vial is left out for that reason, and the questions below cover it. Each label names its own liquid and says when not to use it, which is set out under what the labels say.
| Vial | Water | Concentration | 10 units hold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | 1 mL | 5 mg/mL | 500 mcg |
| 5 mg | 5 mL | 1 mg/mL | 100 mcg |
| 10 mg | 1 mL | 10 mg/mL | 1 mg |
| 4 mg | 0.5 mL | 8 mg/mL | 800 mcg |
| 4 mg | 1 mL | 4 mg/mL | 400 mcg |
| 6 mg | 0.5 mL | 12 mg/mL | 1.2 mg |
| 6 mg | 1 mL | 6 mg/mL | 600 mcg |
More water spreads the same HGH over more units. Less water packs it into fewer.
Storing HGH
The three labels give different times for a mixed vial. The Omnitrope label says that after reconstitution the contents of its vial must be used within 21 days, stored in the original carton in a refrigerator at 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F), and that unused portions are discarded after 21 days. The Zomacton label says that, if needed, a 5 mg vial mixed with the diluent that comes with it is stored refrigerated for up to 14 days, and a 10 mg vial mixed with its diluent for up to 28 days.
The Serostim label says its 5 mg and 6 mg vials, mixed with Sterile Water for Injection, are to be used immediately and any unused portion discarded. Its 4 mg vial, mixed with Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, is stored refrigerated for up to 14 days. The Zomacton and Serostim labels say not to freeze a mixed vial, and the Omnitrope label says not to freeze its vials.
Before mixing, the Omnitrope and Zomacton labels say to store the vials refrigerated in the original carton to protect them from light. The Serostim label says to store its cartons at room temperature, between 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F).
Those times are each label's, for its own vial and its own diluent. None of the labels says how long any other HGH vial keeps once it's mixed.
HGH dosage calculator questions
How do I turn an HGH dose into syringe units?
Divide the dose by the concentration to get millilitres, then multiply by 100. The dose and the concentration have to be in the same unit, mg with mg or IU with IU. The Omnitrope label says its 5.8 mg vial, mixed with the diluent that comes with it, has a concentration of 5 mg/mL. At that strength one unit on a U-100 insulin syringe holds 0.05 mg, which is 50 mcg, and ten units hold 0.5 mg. Units on the syringe measure volume. They aren't IU.
How much bacteriostatic water goes in an HGH vial?
For an approved vial, the amount and the liquid its label says, and they aren't all bacteriostatic water. The Zomacton label says 1 mL to 5 mL of Bacteriostatic Sodium Chloride Injection with 0.9% benzyl alcohol in its 5 mg vial, and the 1 mL syringe of Bacteriostatic Water for Injection with 0.33% metacresol in its 10 mg vial. Its instructions say not to use the 5 mg liquid with the 10 mg vial or the 10 mg liquid with the 5 mg vial. The Serostim label says 0.5 mL to 1 mL of Sterile Water for Injection in its 5 mg or 6 mg vial, used immediately, one dose per vial, and 0.5 mL to 1 mL of Bacteriostatic Water for Injection with 0.9% benzyl alcohol in its 4 mg vial. Each label also says when its preserved liquid mustn't be used, which is set out under what the labels say. The Omnitrope 5.8 mg vial comes with a 1.14 mL vial of Bacteriostatic Water for Injection with 1.5% benzyl alcohol, and its label says the concentration after mixing is 5 mg/mL. That isn't 5.8 divided by 1.14, so choose the liquid option on this page and enter 5 as the strength. For a vial with no label like these, the water only sets the concentration, and the amount of HGH in the vial stays the same.
What if my HGH is already a liquid?
Choose the liquid option and enter the strength printed on the vial, in mg per mL. There's no mixing step, so the volume is the dose divided by that strength, and the units are that volume times 100. At 1 mg/mL, one unit holds 10 mcg and ten units hold 100 mcg. Double the strength and every mark holds double.
Is HGH approved by the FDA?
Yes, as a prescription drug called somatropin. This page rests on the labels of three products that come as a powder in a vial, Omnitrope, Serostim and Zomacton, each for injection under the skin. The uses those labels list are growth failure or short stature in children from several named causes, growth hormone deficiency in adults, and HIV with wasting or cachexia in adults.
Does this page tell me how much HGH to take?
No. The approved labels set dosages for the condition treated, some of them by body weight, adjusted for each patient, and this page reports some of them as what the labels say and nothing more. The dose box starts empty, and the chart only converts.
How many IU are in 1 mg of HGH?
None of the three vial labels this page rests on states a conversion, so this page doesn't give one. The Humatrope label says its cartridges contain "6 mg (18 IU), 12 mg (36 IU), or 24 mg (72 IU)", which is 3 IU to the mg for that product. The Serostim label has "0.033, 0.33 and 3.33 mg/kg (0.1, 1 and 10 IU/kg)" for animal studies. The Humatrope label also has "0.1 mg/kg (0.27 IU/kg)" for a study dose, a different ratio. Nothing read for this page says what an IU means on any other vial. The calculator works in whichever unit your vial is labelled in and never converts between them.
Why does the calculator show about 5.09 mg/mL for an Omnitrope vial?
Because its powder setting divides the vial by the water, and 5.8 mg divided by 1.14 mL is about 5.09 mg/mL. The Omnitrope label gives the concentration after mixing as 5 mg/mL instead. To work from the label's figure, choose the liquid option and enter 5 as the strength.
Are the units on my syringe the same as IU of HGH?
No. Units on a U-100 insulin syringe measure volume, 100 to the mL. They say how much liquid is in the syringe, not how much HGH. How many IU sit in one syringe unit depends on how much water went into the vial.
Do the approved labels mention an insulin syringe?
No. The Omnitrope, Serostim and Zomacton labels all say subcutaneous use and describe a sterile disposable syringe. None of them uses the words insulin syringe or U-100.
More peptide calculators by name
The same instrument, set up one peptide at a time. For any other vial, use the peptide reconstitution calculator.