GHRP-6
Also known as: Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide 6, SKF-110679
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Key Facts: GHRP-6
- Category
- Growth Hormone
- FDA Status
- Not FDA Approved
- Clinical Status
- Preclinical/Investigational - FDA Category 2 (restricted from compounding; expected to remain restricted after 2026 reclassification due to cortisol/prolactin concerns)
- Administration
- Subcutaneous injection, ideally fasted
- Typical Dose
- 100-300 mcg 2-3x daily
- Frequency
- 2-3x daily
- Duration
- 8-12 weeks
Mechanism of Action
GHRP-6 binds and activates the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a), the same receptor later found to be the natural target of the hunger hormone ghrelin. When it switches that receptor on in the pituitary and hypothalamus, the pituitary fires off a pulse of growth hormone. Because GHS-R1a also sits on appetite-driving neurons in the brain (the NPY/AgRP cells of the arcuate nucleus), GHRP-6 is a strong appetite stimulant, more so than the other GHRPs. At higher doses it also nudges up cortisol and prolactin, since the receptor system is not perfectly selective for the GH pathway.
Research Summary
GHRP-6 has been studied in humans, but mostly as a lab and diagnostic probe rather than as a treatment with large clinical trials behind it. Early work in the 1980s and 1990s showed it reliably triggers growth hormone release, and chasing its mechanism is literally what led Kojima and colleagues to discover ghrelin in 1999, which reframed how we understand hunger and GH control. A 2013 pharmacokinetic study in nine healthy men found oral bioavailability under 1 percent and an elimination half-life around 2.5 hours, which is why it is given by injection. The popular claims about muscle gain, fat loss, and healing in fitness circles are not backed by controlled human outcome trials. It is not approved by the FDA or EMA for any use and remains a research chemical, with appetite stimulation, water retention, and cortisol/prolactin bumps as known effects.
Dosing Information
Typical Dosingⓘ
Community experience
100-300 mcg 2-3x daily
100-500 mcg per dose
2-3x daily
Causes significant hunger increase. Take on empty stomach. Often used for appetite stimulation and GH release.
Research Dosingⓘ
Scientific studies
Doses observed in research studies
Doses from Studies
100-300 mcg per injection
Usually 2-3x daily
Duration
8-12 weeks
Administration
Subcutaneous injection, ideally fasted
Timing & Administration
Best Time to Take
Before bed or morning (fasted)
2-3 times daily, 30 min before meals or before bed
Food Recommendation
Take on empty stomach
Why This Timing?
GHRP-6 stimulates GH release and increases appetite. Take fasted for maximum GH response. Evening dose supports natural nighttime GH surge.
Possible Side Effects
Not everyone experiences these effects. Individual responses vary based on dosage, duration, and personal factors.
- ●Significant hunger increase (most pronounced of all GHRPs)
- ●Water retention
- ●Elevated cortisol levels
- ●Elevated prolactin levels
- ●Flushing
- ●Nausea
- ●Headache
- ●May trigger histamine release - use caution with MCAS or histamine sensitivity
- ●Limited long-term safety data
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GHRP-6
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rco2.9
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11795113/
Research This Peptide Further
Buy in shop
GHRP-6 from $42/kit
3 verified vendors, ≥99% purity, COAs included.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does GHRP-6 do?
GHRP-6 is a synthetic six-amino-acid peptide (His-D-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) that tricks the body into releasing its own growth hormone. It was one of the first growth hormone secretagogues ever made, and the hunt to find out why it worked led scientists straight to the discovery of ghrelin. It has no approval as a drug anywhere and is used only as a research compound.
How does GHRP-6 work?
GHRP-6 binds and activates the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a), the same receptor later found to be the natural target of the hunger hormone ghrelin. When it switches that receptor on in the pituitary and hypothalamus, the pituitary fires off a pulse of growth hormone. Because GHS-R1a also sits on appetite-driving neurons in the brain (the NPY/AgRP cells of the arcuate nucleus), GHRP-6 is a strong appetite stimulant, more so than the other GHRPs. At higher doses it also nudges up cortisol and prolactin, since the receptor system is not perfectly selective for the GH pathway.
Is GHRP-6 FDA approved?
No, GHRP-6 is not currently FDA approved. Current status: Preclinical/Investigational - FDA Category 2 (restricted from compounding; expected to remain restricted after 2026 reclassification due to cortisol/prolactin concerns)
What are the side effects of GHRP-6?
Reported side effects include: Significant hunger increase (most pronounced of all GHRPs), Water retention, Elevated cortisol levels, Elevated prolactin levels, Flushing. Individual responses vary based on dosage, duration, and personal health factors.
What is the typical dose of GHRP-6?
Community-reported common dose: 100-300 mcg 2-3x daily (2-3x daily). Range: 100-500 mcg per dose. Administration: Subcutaneous injection, ideally fasted. Community-reported doses. Not medical advice. Consult healthcare provider.
Related Peptides
Peptides commonly compared with GHRP-6 or used in similar applications.
Ipamorelin
Clinical TrialsIpamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue developed by Novo Nordisk and derived from GHRP-1. It is researched mainly for stimulating the body's own growth hormone (GH) release, and was studied in humans primarily for postoperative ileus and gut motility rather than anti-aging. It is not an approved drug anywhere: it reached Phase II trials, was discontinued for insufficient efficacy, and is now sold only as a research chemical.
Growth HormoneGHRP-2
Clinical TrialsGHRP-2 (generic name pralmorelin) is a synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue and a second-generation cousin of GHRP-6. It prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone and is the one peptide in this family with an actual regulatory approval: it is licensed in Japan as a diagnostic agent for growth hormone deficiency. Outside that narrow diagnostic use it has no approval and is sold elsewhere only as a research compound.
Growth HormoneCJC-1295 (No DAC)
Clinical TrialsCJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), specifically a modified GHRH(1-29), engineered for a long duration of action. The form most people mean by CJC-1295 includes a Drug Affinity Complex (DAC) that binds blood albumin to extend its half-life to roughly 6 to 8 days, raising GH and IGF-I for days from a single injection. It was developed by ConjuChem, reached Phase II trials and was abandoned; it is not an approved drug and is sold only as a research chemical. A version without DAC (Modified GRF 1-29) acts for only about 30 minutes.
Growth HormoneMK-677
Clinical TrialsMK-677 (ibutamoren) is not actually a peptide, it is a small, orally active non-peptide molecule that mimics ghrelin, your hunger and growth-hormone hormone. Taken as a daily pill, it reliably pushes up growth hormone and IGF-1 levels, which is why it is popular for muscle and recovery. It has been through real human trials but was never approved as a drug, and the trials that mattered most for older adults and Alzheimer's came up short.
Growth HormoneTesamorelin
FDATesamorelin is a stabilized analog of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-44) with a chemical modification that protects it from rapid breakdown. It is FDA-approved (brand name Egrifta) to reduce excess visceral abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, which makes it one of the few growth-hormone-axis peptides with a real approval behind it. Its evidence base is solid for that specific population and thinner for the general anti-aging and fat-loss uses it gets promoted for online.
Growth HormoneSermorelin
PreclinicalSermorelin is a 29-amino-acid fragment of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), and it is the shortest piece of GHRH that still works fully. It asks the pituitary to make and release its own growth hormone rather than injecting GH itself. It was once an FDA-approved drug for diagnosing and treating growth hormone deficiency in children, but the manufacturer pulled it from the market in 2008, so today it is available mainly through compounding pharmacies for off-label use.
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