Source comparison
Sermorelin Timing: Morning vs Night Comparison
Morning (fasted, pre-breakfast) Poor. Daytime GH pulses are small and irregular, accounting for <30% of daily output High. Cortisol peaks in morning (15–25 µg/dL), insulin rises post-meal, both suppress GH signalling Moderate. GHRH receptors functional but dow
This comparison does not assign a generated winner or score.
- Morning (fasted, pre-breakfast)
- Poor. Daytime GH pulses are small and irregular, accounting for <30% of daily output
- High. Cortisol peaks in morning (15–25 µg/dL), insulin rises post-meal, both suppress GH signalling
- Moderate. GHRH receptors functional but downstream pathways inhibited by cortisol and feeding
- Convenient. Fits standard daily routines, no sleep timing required
- Suboptimal. Morning administration misses the nocturnal GH pulse window entirely and works against cortisol-driven suppression. May produce mild IGF-1 elevation but significantly lower than nighttime dosing.
- Evening (3–4 hours post-meal, 60 min pre-sleep)
- Excellent. Aligns with nocturnal GH pulse during slow-wave sleep, which accounts for 60–70% of daily GH secretion
- Low. Cortisol at daily nadir (<5 µg/dL), insulin cleared, fasted state removes metabolic inhibition
- High. GHRH receptors at peak sensitivity during SWS, minimal somatostatin interference
- Requires planning. Must time meal, fasting window, and sleep onset to avoid suppression
- Optimal. Nighttime administration leverages circadian GH peak, maximises receptor sensitivity, and produces the highest integrated GH response. This is the evidence-based standard.
- Immediately post-meal (any time)
- Poor. Feeding-induced insulin and free fatty acids suppress GH release for 2–3 hours regardless of time of day
- Very high. Insulin spike (50–100 µU/mL) triggers somatostatin release and GHRH inhibition, free fatty acids block pituitary GH secretion
- Very low. Receptor occupancy occurs but downstream cAMP signalling is blocked at multiple points
- Convenient but ineffective. No metabolic preparation required but efficacy severely compromised
- Contraindicated. Post-meal administration wastes the dose. Sermorelin cannot overcome acute insulin and free fatty acid suppression. Clinical and research protocols universally avoid this timing.