Hexarelin: research
A peptide that releases growth hormone; repeated use can weaken the response.
Also called: Examorelin, HEX, EP-23905, MF-6003.
Growth hormone secretagogues (ghrelin receptor) · Ghrelin receptor agonist and growth hormone secretagogue.
At least 71 human research papers; some share participants. A small 16-week study found no significant change in body fat or lean mass.
Studies
- Early IV dose response. crossover-rct, n=12, 12 healthy adult men. The acute GH response approached a plateau while clinical benefits remained untested. (source)
- IV, SC, nasal and oral comparison. single-arm, n=12, 12 healthy young volunteers. Much larger oral and nasal doses were needed to produce a GH response. (source)
- GH, cortisol and prolactin dose response. single-arm, Healthy adult men; n not stated in the abstract. Hexarelin is not specific to GH release. (source)
- Hexarelin versus GHRP-2. single-arm, n=12, Six young and six older adults. The study does not establish that hexarelin is universally stronger or safer than GHRP-2. (source)
- Two IV doses one or two hours apart. crossover-rct, n=6, Six healthy adult men. A second injection did not simply reproduce the first hormone pulse. (source)
- Two versus three SC doses in a day. crossover-rct, n=6, Six healthy young men. Three injections did not improve the measured 24-hour GH effect over two. (source)
- Sixteen weeks of SC treatment. single-arm, n=12, Twelve healthy older adults in a treatment programme described in related reports. GH responses weakened reversibly without a significant body-composition improvement. (source)
- Adrenal and prolactin follow-up. single-arm, Participants on the 16-week SC treatment programme. Chronic measurements differed from acute cortisol spikes; neither design resolves long-term risk. (source)
- Oral and nasal schedules in older adults. single-arm, n=14, Seven older adults in each of two experiments. Short intermittent dosing preserved GH responses, unlike the longer SC study. (source)
- Nasal growth study in children. single-arm, n=8, Eight prepubertal children aged 4-11.6. An uncontrolled childhood growth signal does not establish a general-use regimen. (source)
- Child nasal-response follow-up. single-arm, n=7, Seven constitutionally short prepubertal children. The hormone response weakened while growth velocity remained above baseline. (source)
- Acute cardiac response in healthy men. single-arm, n=7, Seven male volunteers. A brief pumping-function change does not establish cardioprotection. (source)
- Cardiac response with GH deficiency. single-arm, n=16, Seven men with GH deficiency and nine male controls. Heart responses occurred even with little GH release, but clinical usefulness remains unknown. (source)
- Ischemic versus dilated cardiomyopathy. single-arm, n=13, Eight with dilated and five with ischemic cardiomyopathy. The heart signal was not consistent across types of heart failure. (source)
- Acute testing during bypass surgery. single-arm, n=24, 24 men with coronary artery disease under general anesthesia. An acute monitored surgical result does not support unsupervised use for heart disease. (source)
- Nighttime sleep study. crossover-rct, n=7, Seven healthy young volunteers. Higher GH did not translate to improved deep sleep. (source)
- Nasal exposure for doping analysis. single-arm, n=1, One volunteer exposed to hexarelin. Detection in urine is not proof of a useful nasal clinical dose. (source)
Hexarelin dosage
Typical reported dose: 50–200 mcg two or three times a day
- IV dose test: 0.5: 0.5 mcg/kg IV once; ascending single-dose tests. once per test day, into a vein. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Adults in the cited study. (source)
- IV dose test: 1: 1 mcg/kg IV once; ascending single-dose tests. once per test day, into a vein. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Adults in the cited study. (source)
- IV dose test: 2: 2 mcg/kg IV once; ascending single-dose tests. once per test day, into a vein. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Adults in the cited study. (source)
- Single SC challenge: 1.5: 1.5 mcg/kg SC once. once per acute test, under the skin. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Adults in the cited study. (source)
- Single SC challenge: 3: 3 mcg/kg SC once. once per acute test, under the skin. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Adults in the cited study. (source)
- Single nasal challenge: 20 mcg/kg intranasally once. once per acute test, nasal spray. Studied in a trial. Studied in: Adults in the cited study. (source)
These are doses reported in labels, trials or user reports, not a personal plan. Check the source behind each one.
Hexarelin side effects and risks
Reported side effects
- Cortisol and prolactin increases: In acute IV tests, prolactin rose up to about 180% and cortisol about 40%; these are changes, not incidence rates., moderate (source)
- Weaker GH response with repeated use: GH AUC fell from 19.1 to 10.5 mcg/L·hour by week 16; recovered after four weeks off., mild (source)
- Reduced deep sleep: Observed in a seven person nighttime experiment; event rate not reported., moderate (source)
- Blood pressure changes: unknown, moderate (source)
- Swelling, joint discomfort or glucose changes: unknown, moderate (source)
- Immune reaction or injection infection: unknown, serious (source)
Stop and get help if
- Trouble breathing, tongue swelling, fainting or widespread hives: Stop and get emergency care now.
- Sudden severe headache, new vision loss or repeated vomiting: Get emergency assessment now; a pituitary or pressure problem must be excluded.
- Chest pain, severe breathlessness or collapse: Call emergency services now.
- Persistent severe abdominal pain or repeated vomiting: Stop and get urgent medical assessment.
- Confusion, seizure, or low blood sugar that does not resolve: Get emergency help now; do not drive.
- Fever with a hot, spreading, painful injection site: Get urgent care for a possible injection infection.
Who should avoid it
- pregnant: Avoid during pregnancy. Reproductive safety is unstudied; this screen is precautionary.
- breastfeeding: Avoid while breastfeeding. Human infant exposure and safety are unknown.
- tryingToConceive: Avoid while trying to conceive. Human fertility and early-pregnancy safety are unknown.
- under18: Historical child studies do not support unsupervised use in minors.
- activeCancer: GH and IGF-1 are growth signals. Avoid with active cancer; this applies GH-treatment precautions to secretagogues.
- cancerHistory: Prior cancer needs a clinician review before raising GH or IGF-1. Recurrence risk with this compound is unknown.
- diabetes: GH-related changes can worsen insulin sensitivity. Review blood sugar control and medicines.
- heartCondition: Fluid retention may strain the heart. Heart-disease safety is not established for home-use schedules.
- uncontrolledBloodPressure: Review uncontrolled blood pressure before use. Fluid retention and pressure changes need assessment.
- kidneyDisease: Kidney-disease dose adjustments and repeated-dose safety are not established.
- liverDisease: Liver-disease dose adjustments and repeated-dose safety are not established.
- diabeticRetinopathy: Review proliferative eye disease before raising GH or IGF-1. This is a GH-class precaution.
- pancreatitisHistory: Review prior pancreatitis. GH-class safety concerns do not establish a risk rate for this compound.
- sleepApnea: Review sleep apnea and new swelling. GH-related tissue or fluid changes are a class concern.
- surgeryPlanned: Tell the surgical team about use and all stacks. Perioperative safety depends on the specific study setting.
- testedAthlete: WADA bans this compound at all times, including out of competition.
- other: Do not add a GH secretagogue when GH or IGF-1 is already excessive. Investigate the cause.
- other: A pituitary mass needs specialist review. GH testing and GH-raising drugs are not interchangeable.
Interactions
- Insulin and sulfonylureas: GH-class precaution: insulin sensitivity and medicine needs can change. Exact interaction trials for this peptide are lacking.
- Other GH secretagogues, GH, and IGF-1: Overlapping GH/IGF-1 effects can add hormone, swelling and blood sugar risks. Combination benefit is not established.
- Glucocorticoids and oral estrogen: These can change GH responses or IGF-1 interpretation. Do not change prescribed hormone replacement to alter a peptide response.
- Anticoagulants and antiplatelets: General injection precaution: blood thinners increase bleeding/bruising risk. A direct interaction with this peptide has not been established.
Product quality risks
- Unregulated products may have the wrong identity, dose or sterility. A purity percentage alone cannot establish injection safety.
- Related GHRPs had altered identities in seized products. No hexarelin-specific market survey was found.
- No representative market-wide contamination or underdosing rate was found for this compound.
How Hexarelin works
It turns on the ghrelin receptor, which helps the pituitary release growth hormone. GH can then raise IGF-1, a growth signal. A larger hormone pulse does not prove better strength, recovery or longer life.
- GHS-R1a, the ghrelin receptor: Prompts GH release through the brain and pituitary.
- GH / IGF-1 pathway: Can increase growth signals; lasting benefits depend on the compound and schedule.
Half-life: No confirmed human plasma half-life of the peptide itself was found; a reported 55 minutes describes the GH response.
Gaps: No approved FDA/EMA dose or demonstrated long-term muscle, recovery or anti-aging benefit was found. Human drug concentration PK and a reliable plasma half-life of hexarelin itself remain unconfirmed. Fixed community doses need body weight and frequency before comparison with weight-based SC studies. The small 16-week programme and its follow-up reports are not independent safety confirmations. No validated home-vial shelf life or representative hexarelin market-quality survey was found.
Related to Hexarelin
- Ipamorelin: An experimental peptide that triggers growth hormone release.
- MK-677 (ibutamoren): This experimental oral drug raises growth hormone and IGF-1; risks include high blood sugar and swelling.
- GHRP-2: A peptide that releases growth hormone and can increase hunger.
- GHRP-6: A peptide studied in growth hormone tests and an experimental stroke combination.
Sources
- 503B Bulk Drug Substances List, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Used in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks, FDA · FDA · 2026
- Find product information about medicines, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency · MHRA · 2026
- Peptide products, Therapeutic Goods Administration · TGA · 2026
- The 2026 Prohibited List, World Anti-Doping Agency · WADA · 2026
- Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—October 2026) Instrument 2026, Australian Government · Australian Government · 2026
- Think twice before injecting peptides bought online: unauthorized products can seriously harm you, Health Canada · Health Canada · 2026
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503B of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, FDA · FDA · 2025
- GENOTROPIN® (somatropin) for injection, for subcutaneous use, FDA · 2025
- 注射用GHRP科研100, PMDA · 2025
- October 29, 2024 Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, FDA · 2024
- Using intramuscular injections in people on oral anticoagulants, NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service · NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service · 2023
- Evaluation and treatment of adult growth hormone deficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline., Molitch ME et al. · The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2011
Sources checked: 2026-10-18.
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