GHRP-6
Secretagogue that mimics ghrelin — and opens up hunger along with it
Experimental material. Read before using anything from here.
Nothing on this page is a medical recommendation, prescription or treatment plan. It is an organized translation of protocols circulating in research communities and, where it exists, of what published trials tested. The two are marked differently — and they are not equivalent.
Most of the compounds here have no FDA approval for human use. Several are sold labeled "research use only", which means they have not gone through purity, sterility or dosage controls for human consumption. A community-reported dose is not a validated dose: it is what someone reported having done.
Talk to a licensed health professional before considering any of these compounds. If you already use one and feel anything unexpected, seek care — do not wait for the next routine test.
Summary
Synthetic six-amino-acid peptide that copies part of how ghrelin, the hunger hormone, works. Instead of adding external GH, it signals the body to release its own. The marked increase in appetite is an expected effect, not an accident.
Quick reference
- Mechanism
- Activates the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a), triggering a natural GH pulse.
- Notable effect
- Intense hunger within minutes — useful for some, an obstacle for others.
- Timing rule
- Food, especially carbohydrate and fat, reduces the GH response; it is used fasted.
- Status
- Not approved, use restricted to research, and banned by WADA in sport.
GHRP-6 Reconstitution Guide
| Dose | Concentration | Dose volume | U-100 units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 mcg | ~1,667 mcg/mL | 0.06 mL | 6 units |
| 200 mcg | ~1,667 mcg/mL | 0.12 mL | 12 units |
| 300 mcg | ~1,667 mcg/mL | 0.18 mL | 18 units |
GHRP-6 vs GHRP-2, Ipamorelin, MK-677 & GHRH Analogs
| Compound | Receptor / type | Key difference vs GHRP-6 |
|---|---|---|
| GHRP-6 | Ghrelin receptor (GHS) | Strongest appetite; modest cortisol/prolactin at higher doses |
| GHRP-2 | Ghrelin receptor (GHS) | More GH per mcg, less hunger; approved in Japan as a diagnostic |
| Ipamorelin | Ghrelin receptor (GHS) | Cleanest: GH pulse without meaningful hunger, cortisol, or prolactin |
| MK-677 | Ghrelin receptor (oral) | Oral, long-acting daily GH/IGF-1 raise; not injected |
| CJC-1295 / sermorelin | GHRH receptor | Different receptor; paired with GHRP-6 for a bigger pulse |
| HGH | Direct hormone | Adds GH directly; far stronger and more controllable, but a drug |
Storage and handling
The rules below apply to practically every lyophilized peptide in this reference. Where a compound has its own requirement, it appears in the table in the previous section.
- Lyophilized powder, sealed: refrigerator, between 2 and 8 °C, protected from light. Many tolerate room temperature for short transport periods, but that is tolerance, not a recommendation.
- After reconstitution: always refrigerated, between 2 and 8 °C. The stability window drops to days or a few weeks, depending on the compound.
- Never freeze after reconstituting. The freeze–thaw cycle degrades the peptide.
- Do not shake. Swirl the vial slowly. Shaking breaks the peptide chain.
- Bacteriostatic water down the wall of the vial, in a slow stream, not squirted directly onto the powder.
- Cloudy solution, with particles or a color change: discard. There is no recovery.
Lab tests and monitoring
This list is the one that appears recurrently in the source, with small variations by compound. It serves as a starting point for a conversation with a professional — not as a substitute for that conversation.
- Before starting: complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, lipid panel, fasting glucose and HbA1c, TSH and free T4, blood pressure and resting heart rate.
- Depending on the compound: IGF-1 (GH axis), lipase and amylase (VIP and the incretin agonists), serum copper and ceruloplasmin (GHK-Cu and blends containing it), CRP.
- Reassessment: most protocols review between week 4 and week 8, and then every 8–12 weeks.
- Do not wait for the routine lab test in the face of abdominal pain, visual changes, a change in a mole, shortness of breath, asymmetric swelling or any new and persistent symptom. That is a reason to seek care, not a spreadsheet item.
Evidence limits
Data source: peptidedosingprotocols.com, accessed on September 3, 2026. Translation and organization in Portuguese are original work. No primary source (PubMed, trial registry, package insert) was checked in building this page — the check was against the secondary source, and that alone.