GHRP-2
Performance, Muscle Building
In short
- A ghrelin receptor agonist, more potent for GH release than GHRP-6 with less appetite stimulation.
- Still raises cortisol and prolactin, though less than GHRP-6 — it sits between GHRP-6 and ipamorelin on selectivity.
- Was investigated as an oral diagnostic agent for GH deficiency and reached clinical study in that role.
- Prohibited at all times in sport under WADA class S2, and has appeared in anti-doping cases.
- No approval anywhere for therapeutic use.
Structure
How it works
GHRP-2 is a synthetic hexapeptide agonist at GHS-R1a. Like GHRP-6 it mimics ghrelin at the pituitary to trigger GH release, but it is more potent on a weight basis and produces proportionally less hunger.
Cortisol and prolactin elevation still occur. The compound is best understood as a midpoint: more GH per microgram than GHRP-6, more off-target activity than ipamorelin.
What the research shows
Dose-dependent GH release in humans is well documented, including in studies evaluating it as a diagnostic agent for GH deficiency.
As with the rest of the class, no controlled trial has shown that chronic use in healthy adults produces the body-composition or recovery outcomes it is marketed for.
Dosing in the literature
Figures below are quoted from published studies, with the species or population they were measured in. They are records of what was studied, not recommendations.
| Studied in | Amount | Route | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human — GH stimulation testing in adults and children | 1 µg/kg produces robust GH response | intravenous | PubMed |
| Human — oral diagnostic formulation studies | Studied at substantially higher oral doses; see source | oral | PubMed |
Commonly reported ranges
These are amounts people report using. They are not from any study, have not been evaluated for safety, and are reproduced here only because they circulate widely and are better seen alongside the evidence than instead of it.
| Reported by | Amount | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Commonly reported | 100–300 µg, one to three times daily | subcutaneous |
No published human pharmacokinetic study establishes a dose, interval, or duration for this compound. Community figures below have no trial behind them and are reports of practice, not evidence. Diagnostic dosing is a single provocative dose to measure pituitary response, which is a different purpose from repeated administration and does not validate it.
Handling and storage
Supplied as a lyophilised powder requiring reconstitution with bacteriostatic water. The powder is comparatively stable; once reconstituted it is refrigerated and used within weeks. Track the date you reconstitute each vial — the Inventory section does this, and it is the difference between knowing a vial is three weeks old and guessing.
Subcutaneous injection, commonly away from food and often before sleep to coincide with natural GH pulses.
Side effects
Reported: increased appetite (less than GHRP-6), flushing, head-rush, water retention, and tingling in the extremities.
Cortisol and prolactin elevation are dose-dependent and are the main reason not to escalate. Class-level GH effects — insulin sensitivity, joint discomfort, carpal tunnel — apply.
No long-term safety data exists for repeated use in healthy adults.
Combinations
Standard pairing with a GHRH analogue for the two-receptor synergy. Combining with other GHS compounds duplicates the same receptor and adds cortisol and prolactin load without additional GH benefit.
Research status
Studied since the 1990s for GH release and as a diagnostic agent, including an oral formulation programme. The GH-release evidence is real; the chronic-use evidence does not exist.
Legal status
Not approved for therapeutic use in any jurisdiction. Sold for research use only. Named on the FDA list of substances presenting significant risks for compounding.
WADA status
PROHIBITED AT ALL TIMES under WADA class S2 — growth hormone secretagogues, their releasing factors and mimetics are explicitly named. Any tested athlete should treat this as an anti-doping violation.
Conclusion
GHRP-2 is the more efficient GHRP: more GH release per microgram than GHRP-6 with less hunger, but still carrying cortisol and prolactin effects that ipamorelin largely avoids.
The GH-release data is solid. Everything downstream of that is inference.
Sources
- [1]GHRP-2 — GH stimulation in humansPubMed
- [2]Oral GHRP-2 as a diagnostic agent for GH deficiencyPubMed
- [3]PubChem CID 6918245PubChem
- [4]WADA Prohibited List (current)WADA
Track your own GHRP-2 protocol
Peppers logs your doses, models your levels from this half-life, tracks your vials and tells you when you will run out. Free on iPhone.
Reference and educational information only. Not medical advice. Nothing here diagnoses, treats, or prescribes, and nothing here is a recommendation to use any compound. The compounds described are research chemicals and are not approved for human consumption. Legal and anti-doping status change — the review date above is when these claims were last checked. Talk to a qualified clinician about anything you intend to take.