Serovital is a nutritional supplement formulated, marketed, and sold by SanMedica International LLC. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, SanMedica has marketed SeroVital since 2014. The supplement is designed to boost human growth hormone (hGH) and, as a result, claims to address various age-related issues. To achieve this hGH increase, SeroVital utilizes a proprietary blend of amino acids combined with traditional Chinese herbal medicine extract.
SeroVital Benefits
Reduce wrinkles
hGH plays a well-established role in tissue maintenance. Therefore, restoring hGH to normal, youthful levels may help diminish wrinkles.
Reduce Body Fat
hGH primarily functions to promote lean muscle mass while reducing body fat. Low hGH levels are frequently linked to increased body fat accumulation.
Better Sleep
This claim remains controversial. While we naturally produce peak hGH levels during sleep, boosting hGH doesn’t appear to enhance sleep quality. Evidence suggests that hGH replacement therapy may actually reduce both sleep duration and quality.
Increase Energy
Energy production involves multiple regulated processes throughout the body. hGH enhances energy by increasing ATP production. Consequently, individuals with normal hGH levels typically experience better energy and stamina compared to those with deficient levels.
Tighten Skin
hGH regulates more than muscle and fat tissue. While reducing wrinkles and skin tightening are essentially the same benefit, hGH supports collagen maintenance that’s crucial for healthy joints and skin.
Improve Focus
Extensive research examines hGH’s effects across various health areas. Evidence indicates that hGH deficiencies correlate with significant cognitive impairments. Researchers suggest that restoring normal hGH levels can produce dramatic cognitive improvements.
SeroVital Ingredients
SeroVital contains a proprietary blend of amino acids and Schizonepeta totaling 2.9g per four capsules. The company claims these amino acids are sequenced uniquely to deliver the product’s benefits. SeroVital’s website frequently references four clinical studies supporting their claims. However, a quick search reveals most studies relate to patent applications, with only one clinical study involving 16 healthy individuals available on PubMed.gov.
L-lysine hydrochloride
L-lysine is a common amino acid found in various plant and animal foods. Several studies demonstrate that lysine, combined with other amino acids, can increase growth hormone secretion. However, most studies evaluate intravenous delivery of these amino acids. Ultimately, researchers didn’t recommend using these amino acids for hGH enhancement.
L-arginine hydrochloride
Arginine is another common amino acid linked to enhanced hGH production and secretion. Like lysine, multiple studies have examined arginine’s effects on hGH. One review found that hGH may increase when people supplement 5-9 g of arginine. Interestingly, arginine supplementation produced an average hGH spike of 100%. In contrast, exercise consistently boosted hGH by 300-500%.
Oxo-Proline
A search of PubMed.gov returned zero studies for “proline supplementation and [hGH].” No direct connection exists between proline supplementation and hGH enhancement. However, proline supplementation is well-documented for wound healing and skin health applications. Proline is essential for collagen synthesis, which may explain its inclusion in SeroVital.
N-acetyl L-Cysteine
N-acetyl L-cysteine (NAC) is among the most popular amino acids beyond bodybuilding circles. This amino acid supports energy production and reduces inflammation by serving as the limiting factor in glutathione creation. No evidence supports NAC’s role in hGH production or secretion.
L-Glutamine
Glutamine ranks among the most widely used amino acid supplements and is crucial for muscle rebuilding after intense exercise. Glutamine may enhance muscle rebuilding through its effects on hGH. Studies show glutamine can boost serum hGH levels, though subjects required 2 grams to achieve this effect.
Schizonepeta Powder
Schizonepeta is traditionally used in oriental medicine for its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies demonstrate that schizonepeta’s immune and anti-inflammatory benefits can help manage skin conditions like dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. It doesn’t appear to directly impact hGH. The typical schizonepeta dose ranges from 2.5-9g for individuals weighing 150-250lbs.
Does SeroVital Work?
This product is unlikely to produce significant effects. SeroVital’s claims stem from their four clinical studies, with only one study available on PubMed.gov examining SeroVital’s effects on hGH production. This study didn’t demonstrate that SeroVital reduces wrinkles, body fat, or improves sleep, energy, skin tightness, or focus. It merely showed SeroVital could boost hGH, and that increase wasn’t as substantial as marketed. SeroVital’s claims represent broad extrapolation. Essentially, they argue: if SeroVital boosts hGH, and hGH benefits skin, energy, sleep, etc., then SeroVital provides all those benefits. This interpretation is misleading and scientifically inaccurate.
Claims vs. Reality
Understanding the product requires examining the studies supporting their claims. As noted, their research doesn’t evaluate SeroVital’s effects on skin health or sleep specifically, but rather extrapolates from hGH effects. Additionally, the study included both men and women together. Normal hGH levels for men 18+ range from 0.01-2.47 ng/mL, while women 18+ show 0.13-9.88ng/mL—a significant difference. For reference, hGH levels peaked at only 1.13 ng/mL in the study.
How do they claim a 682% hGH boost from baseline? The full explanation exceeds this review’s scope, but it involves complex statistical manipulation. Rather than comparing baseline and peak hGH levels, they used a technique calculating Area Under the Curve (AUC). This can mislead laypeople since small numerical changes can produce dramatic AUC increases. Consider calculating rectangle area: 4×3 inches equals 12 square inches, while 4×4 inches equals 16 square inches. This minor change creates a substantial area difference.
Consider ingredient dosing as well. Based on available data, every amino acid is dosed significantly lower than effective amounts found in other studies. The SeroVital study also tested fasted subjects overnight. It’s reasonable to consider that consuming a small amount of protein instead of SeroVital would have produced comparable hGH increases.
Safety
No negative side effects appear associated with this product or its ingredients.
Where to Buy SeroVital + Price
SeroVital is available at numerous retailers and online platforms.
- SeroVital Website $99
- Amazon with prime $93.97
Studies
SeroVital
Human Growth Hormone – HGH – The Life Extension Manual
Impact of adult growth hormone deficiency on daily functioning and well-being
