Gonadorelin

What people use it for

• Maintaining natural testosterone and fertility during TRT (popular use)
• Testing pituitary function (historic use)

What Gonadorelin does in the body

Identical to natural GnRH. Given in pulses, it stimulates the pituitary to release LH and FSH. Given continuously, it has the opposite effect: the pituitary becomes desensitised and hormone output falls, which is how longer-acting GnRH drugs are used to suppress hormones.

Strength of evidence

Established physiology; limited trial data for its popular use alongside TRT.

Look up the evidence

• Reviews on PubMed: Summaries of the published research
• Clinical trials on PubMed: Published studies in people
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Registered trials, past and ongoing

Live searches of official databases. New to the terms? See the glossary.

Reported side effects & risks

• Injection-site reactions
• Headache, flushing
• Rare allergic reactions

Who should avoid it or take extra care

• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Hormone-sensitive cancers (such as breast or prostate)
• Competitive athletes (prohibited by WADA)

Not a complete list. Check with a doctor or pharmacist about your own health and medicines.

Regulatory status

Previously FDA-approved products were discontinued in the US. Mainly available through compounding pharmacies.

How it's taken

Route: Injection under the skin or into a vein

How long it lasts (half-life): Minutes

Storage

Unreconstituted (powder) vials are usually kept refrigerated or frozen and away from light. Once mixed with bacteriostatic water, keep refrigerated and do not freeze; follow the supplier's stated beyond-use date.