GH boosters are supplements that claim to support your body's own growth hormone release, usually with amino acids like arginine and GABA or with sleep-focused ingredients. Small studies show some of these ingredients can cause a short spike in growth hormone, but there is no good evidence that this leads to more muscle, less fat or better recovery. This guide explains what the research on arginine, GABA and sleep actually shows, where the claims go too far, and what is worth spending your money on instead.
GH booster ingredients compared
| Ingredient | The claim | What studies show | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arginine | Raises growth hormone | 7 g at rest caused a small rise in one study of 8 men. Taken before weights, it blunted the normal rise from exercise | Not worth taking for GH. Some people use it in pre-workouts for other reasons |
| GABA | Raises growth hormone and helps you relax | 3 g raised resting GH within 90 minutes in one study of 11 trained men. It is unclear how much oral GABA reaches the brain | Interesting but very early evidence. No proof of muscle or fat benefits |
| Sleep formulas (magnesium, glycine and similar) | Better sleep means more GH | Deep sleep is linked to GH release, but there is little evidence these ingredients change GH | Fine for a sleep routine. Do not buy them for hormones |
| Hard training | Raises GH naturally | Resistance exercise raises GH, but those short rises did not increase muscle building in a controlled study | Train for progress, not for hormone spikes |
What growth hormone does, and why spikes are not the goal
Growth hormone (GH) is made by the pituitary gland and released in pulses through the day and night. It helps regulate growth in children and teens and plays a role in metabolism in adults. GH levels naturally rise after hard exercise and during deep sleep.
The idea behind GH boosters is that a bigger spike means more muscle and less fat. The research does not back that up. In a well-known study published in the Journal of Physiology, young men did either a small arm workout that did not change their hormones or the same workout followed by heavy leg training that raised their GH, testosterone and IGF-1. The extra hormone rise made no difference to muscle protein building in the trained arm. In other words, short-term hormone spikes from exercise did not add up to more muscle building, so a supplement causing a similar spike is unlikely to either.
Arginine: a spike at rest, less after training
Arginine is an amino acid found in meat, dairy, nuts and seeds. It is a common ingredient in pump and nitric oxide products, and it has been sold as a GH booster for decades.
A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology gave 8 healthy men 7 g of arginine or a placebo, with or without a weights session. Arginine alone raised GH a little at rest, but exercise alone raised it much more. When the men took arginine before training, the GH response was smaller than with exercise alone. So if your goal is the GH rise from training, taking arginine beforehand may work against it.
If you still want arginine for its other uses, such as a pre-workout ingredient, single-ingredient powders are the simplest way to control the dose:
- Switch Nutrition Arginine is unflavoured, with 1 g per serve and 200 serves for $39.95.
- Allmax Essentials Arginine HCl gives 5 g of arginine HCl per scoop, with 80 serves in a 400 g tub for $84.95.
GABA: promising early data, many unknowns
GABA is a calming messenger chemical (neurotransmitter) in the brain, and it is sold as a supplement for relaxation. A small, double-blind study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise gave 11 resistance-trained men 3 g of GABA or a placebo. At rest, peak GH was about 400% higher with GABA in the 90 minutes after taking it, and GH was also higher after a workout than with placebo.
That sounds impressive, but it was one small, short study that measured blood levels, not muscle, strength or body fat. A 2015 review in Frontiers in Psychology also notes it is still unclear whether oral GABA crosses from the blood into the brain, and that much of the evidence for its calming effects came from researchers with a possible conflict of interest.
If you want to try GABA for relaxation at night, keep to the label dose. NOW GABA 750 mg is one capsule, one to two times a day, with 100 capsules for $59.95. NOW GABA 500 mg with Vitamin B6 is a lower dose at $34.95.
Sleep formulas: sleep matters, the pills less so
Deep sleep is where much of the night's GH release happens. A large analysis in JAMA of 149 healthy men found that deep, slow wave sleep fell sharply from early adulthood to midlife, and GH secretion fell with it. That is a good reason to protect your sleep, but it does not show that a sleep supplement will raise GH.
The basics do most of the work: a regular bed and wake time, a dark and cool room, less caffeine later in the day and less alcohol at night. If you want a simple product to support your routine, these are popular choices, but buy them for sleep, not for hormones:
- Nature's Best Magnesium Glycinate gives 200 mg of magnesium per two-capsule serve, 30 serves for $24.95.
- NOW Glycine 1000 mg gives 3,000 mg per three-capsule serve, about 33 serves for $49.95.
Many sleep and GH formulas also contain several other active ingredients, so always read the full label. For more, see our sleep supplements guide, our guide to taurine and glycine and the best magnesium supplement in Australia guide.
Safety, sport and when to talk to your GP
- Tested athletes: the AIS Sports Supplement Framework lists GH releasers in Group D, meaning banned or at high risk of contamination with substances that could lead to a positive doping test. If you compete, check every product with your sport first.
- Under 18: GH boosters are not for teenagers. If you are worried about a young person's growth or development, see your GP.
- Medical conditions and medicines: talk to your GP before using these products if you have a hormone or pituitary condition, diabetes, low blood pressure or take regular medication, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Real symptoms: if you have ongoing fatigue, poor recovery or unexplained changes in body shape, a GP can check for medical causes. No supplement can diagnose or fix a hormone problem.
Our verdict: are GH boosters worth it?
For most people, no. The ingredients in GH boosters can nudge growth hormone for an hour or two in small studies, but there is no good evidence that this builds muscle or reduces body fat, and arginine before training may even blunt your natural GH response. If you want results, spend your money on the proven basics: enough protein, a creatine supplement, a solid training plan and good sleep. Start with our build your stack guide for products with stronger evidence.
How our price compares
Here is what the same products cost at other Australian supplement stores, so you can check the difference yourself.
| Product | Supps247 | Nutrition Warehouse | ASN | Elite Supps | Supplement Mart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switch Nutrition Arginine 200 serves | $39.95 | $39.95 | $39.95 | Not listed | $39.95 |
Supps247 prices come from our website. Other prices were checked on the websites of Nutrition Warehouse, Australian Sports Nutrition (ASN), Elite Supps and Supplement Mart on 29 October 2026 (same product and size, price for one unit) and can change at any time. Not listed means we could not find that exact product on their site. Supps247 members can use our Price Match Guarantee against Nutrition Warehouse, ASN, Elite Supps and Supplement Mart: we beat their full price by 5% or match their sale price (conditions apply).
Shop the products in this guide
Nature's Best Magnesium Glycinate 60 capsules$24.95
NOW GABA 750 mg 100 capsules$59.95
NOW Glycine 1000 mg 100 capsules$49.95
Switch Nutrition Arginine 200 serves$39.95
Browse all sleep support and magnesium supplements.
FAQs
Do GH boosters actually work?
Some ingredients, like arginine and GABA, raised growth hormone for a short time in small studies. But those studies measured blood levels, not muscle or fat, and research shows short hormone spikes from exercise do not increase muscle building on their own. There is no good evidence that over-the-counter GH boosters improve body composition or recovery.
Does arginine increase growth hormone?
A 7 g dose of arginine raised growth hormone a little at rest in a small study of healthy men. Exercise raised it much more, and taking arginine before a weights session actually reduced the growth hormone response compared with exercise alone. So arginine is not a useful way to raise growth hormone for training, even if it has other uses in pre-workouts.
Does GABA help you sleep?
Some people take GABA to relax before bed, and there is some evidence of a calming effect. However, a 2015 review found it is still unclear whether oral GABA reaches the brain, and much of the positive research came from researchers with possible conflicts of interest. If you try it, keep to the label dose and focus on good sleep habits first.
What is the best natural way to support growth hormone?
Train hard and sleep well. Growth hormone rises naturally after resistance exercise and during deep sleep. Keeping a regular sleep schedule, limiting alcohol and late caffeine, eating enough protein and staying at a healthy weight all support normal hormone function. If you are worried about your hormones, talk to your GP rather than relying on a supplement.
Are GH boosters safe for teenagers?
No. GH boosters are designed for adults, and teenagers are still growing and developing. If you are under 18, focus on food, sleep and a sensible training plan, and talk to your GP or a sports dietitian before taking any supplement. If a parent is worried about a young person's growth, a GP is the right first step.
Sources: Collier et al., oral arginine and the GH response to resistance exercise, Journal of Applied Physiology (2006); Powers et al., GH responses to GABA ingestion, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (2008); Boonstra et al., GABA as a food supplement, Frontiers in Psychology (2015); West et al., exercise-induced hormones and muscle protein synthesis, Journal of Physiology (2009); Van Cauter et al., sleep and GH in healthy men, JAMA (2000); AIS Sports Supplement Framework, Group D; product labels and brand nutrition panels, checked October 2026.
Order online with Australia-wide delivery, free on orders of $99.99 or more, with Afterpay available at checkout. You can also use click and collect at a store that offers it, or visit a Supps247 store in Melbourne, regional Victoria or Brisbane to compare products in person. Members can use our member price match on full-priced items.
Prices and stock were checked on 29 October 2026 and can change at any time. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your doctor first.
