Synthetic peptide that selectively stimulates the release of growth hormone. Tested in a trial for postoperative ileus without success, and not approved.
FDA (US): Not approved. The FDA lists it among substances with safety risks for compounding (including one death in a study with intravenous use).
EMA (EU): Not approved
Dose
In the only published clinical trial, 0.03 mg/kg intravenously twice a day was used in hospitalized patients after bowel surgery (Beck 2014). There is no approved regimen.
Safety
In the postoperative trial, adverse effects were similar to placebo. Outside trials: possible glucose disturbances, fluid retention, and injection-site reactions; unregulated products of uncertain purity. Its use only makes sense in research or under medical supervision; buying it is not recommended.
Effect by goal · level of evidence
Ileus after bowel surgery
no clear effectModerateRCT (AA)in people
Phase 2 trial with 114 patients: median time to tolerating solid food was 25.3 h with ipamorelin and 32.6 h with placebo, a nonsignificant difference.
Mimics ghrelin and activates its receptor in the pituitary gland, which causes pulses of growth hormone. In animals, unlike GHRP-2 and GHRP-6, it barely raises cortisol or ACTH.
What the evidence says
In people
Ileus after bowel surgery. Phase 2 trial with 114 patients: the median time to tolerating solid food was 25.3 h with ipamorelin and 32.6 h with placebo, a nonsignificant difference. PubMed 25331030
In animals or the laboratory
Selective release of growth hormone. In rats and pigs it released growth hormone with potency similar to GHRP-6, without raising ACTH or cortisol even at doses 200 times higher. PubMed 9849822