GH Secretagogues
GHRP-6
← Back to Library
Limited / unverified FDA safety flag Limited / unverified GH Axis
Educational reference only. Read the full disclaimer.
The protocols below are not automatically an FDA-approved or clinically verified regimen unless
explicitly marked as label-verified or clinical-trial above.
Overview
Route(s): Subcutaneous
Typical vial sizes: 5, 10 mg
Dosing window: Pre-Meal
Receptor / target: GHS-R1a
Properties: GH Secretagogue
Pre-mixed: No
Unverified protocol notes
Standard Protocol
| Timeframe | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-2 | 100 mcg 3x Daily | AM Upon Waking, Mid-Day, PM Before Bedtime. Administered 30 mins before meals to maximize appetite increase. |
| Weeks 3-4 | 200 mcg 3x Daily | AM Upon Waking, Mid-Day, PM Before Bedtime. Administered 30 mins before meals to maximize appetite increase. |
| Weeks 5-12 | 300 mcg 3x Daily | AM Upon Waking, Mid-Day, PM Before Bedtime. Administered 30 mins before meals to maximize appetite increase. |
Unverified protocol note; not label dosing unless graded otherwise on this page.
Alternative 1: Performance / Muscle Growth
| Timeframe | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-12 | 250mcg 3x Daily | AM upon waking, Post-workout, PM before bedtime. |
Unverified alternative protocol; not an approved-label regimen unless graded otherwise on this page.
Alternative 2: Anti-Aging Protocol
| Timeframe | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-12 | 100mcg 2x Daily | AM upon waking, PM before bedtime. |
Unverified alternative protocol; not an approved-label regimen unless graded otherwise on this page.
Protocol logic check
Protocol context: GH-axis protocols are not 'more is better.' The logic is pulse quality, recovery time, IGF-1/glucose monitoring, and avoiding receptor desensitization, edema, appetite spikes, numbness, or blood-pressure strain. Entry context: target (GHS-R1a); route Subcutaneous; timing Pre-Meal. Limited-evidence dosing tables are hypotheses, not recommendations. FDA/safety flags lower confidence and raise the evidence bar for any claimed benefit. Compatibility is conditional: a reasonable solo compound can become inappropriate once a contraindicated partner is added. GH-axis stacking should be filtered for total IGF-1/glucose burden, not just expected synergy.
Independent evidence
Independent safety notes: FDA lists GHRP-6 in category 2 with immunogenicity/impurity concerns and limited safety information.
Regulatory status: unapproved or compounded peptide with FDA safety risk flag
Storage
No independently verified storage guidance found. Treat any unverified storage claim as unverified, and see the general storage guidance in the FAQ.
Contraindications (limited evidence)
- Active malignancy: GH/IGF-1 elevation may accelerate tumor growth. Limited / unverified
- History of pituitary tumor or pituitary adenoma. Limited / unverified
- Individuals struggling with weight management, obesity, or binge eating disorders: extreme ghrelin-mediated hunger will make caloric control nearly impossible. Limited / unverified
- Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder): extreme hunger stimulation is dangerous in these populations. Limited / unverified
- Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or severe insulin resistance: GH elevation worsens glucose metabolism. Limited / unverified
- Diabetic ketoacidosis. Limited / unverified
- History of prolactinoma or elevated prolactin: GHRP-6 significantly elevates prolactin. Limited / unverified
- High baseline cortisol or adrenal insufficiency: additive HPA axis stimulation from cortisol-elevating mechanism. Limited / unverified
- Anxiety disorders or high-stress baseline: cortisol elevation amplifies anxiety response. Limited / unverified
- Concurrent use with ipamorelin or GHRP-2: receptor competition; do not stack two GHRPs. Limited / unverified
- Concurrent use with HGH 191aa: redundant GH axis overstimulation. Limited / unverified
- Concomitant high-dose glucocorticoids: attenuates GH response and amplifies cumulative cortisol load. Limited / unverified
- Concomitant GLP-1 receptor agonists where appetite conflict is clinically significant: the extreme hunger from GHRP-6 directly counteracts GLP-1 appetite suppression. Limited / unverified
- Pregnancy: safety not established. Limited / unverified
- Breastfeeding: safety not established. Limited / unverified
- Known hypersensitivity to GHRP-6 or excipients. Limited / unverified
Side effects (limited evidence)
- Extreme, uncontrollable hunger: the defining and most clinically significant adverse effect; onset within 15-20 minutes of injection; the most intense appetite stimulation of any compound in this database; described as urgent, compulsive, ghrelin-mediated hunger drive. Limited / unverified
- Significant cortisol elevation: most pronounced cortisol increase among the GHRPs; transient per injection but cumulative with multi-daily dosing. Limited / unverified
- Significant prolactin elevation: elevated via GHS-R1a activation on pituitary lactotrophs; chronic elevation increases gynecomastia risk in men and may cause menstrual irregularities. Limited / unverified
- ACTH elevation: adrenocorticotrophic hormone released alongside cortisol via HPA axis activation. Limited / unverified
- Water retention and peripheral edema: GH-mediated sodium and fluid retention; pronounced at 3x daily protocols. Limited / unverified
- Head rush and transient flushing: acute GH pulse-induced vasodilation. Limited / unverified
- Joint stiffness and arthralgia. Limited / unverified
- Tingling or numbness in extremities. Limited / unverified
- Vivid dreams: GH elevation during nocturnal sleep. Limited / unverified
- Lethargy post-injection: associated with the GH pulse. Limited / unverified
- Headache. Limited / unverified
- Injection site irritation. Limited / unverified
- Insulin resistance: GH elevation at 3x daily protocols; monitor fasting glucose. Limited / unverified
- Potential for significant weight gain if caloric intake is not managed: extreme appetite stimulation can easily produce caloric surplus that exceeds the lean mass benefit. Limited / unverified
- Receptor desensitization with extended cycles: less rapid than hexarelin but present; requires 2-4 week washout after 6-12 week cycles. Limited / unverified
Compatibility
The relationships below come from the source site's internal engine and were not verified independently. Treat them as a starting point for a conversation with a clinician. They carry no safety guarantee.
Reported synergistic:
Reported contraindicated combinations: