Synthetic peptide that causes a strong release of growth hormone. In Japan it is used as a diagnostic test for GH deficiency; not approved in the US or the EU.
FDA (US): Not approved. The FDA lists it among substances with safety risks for compounding.
EMA (EU): Not approved
Dose
As a diagnostic test: 100 µg intravenously as a single dose after fasting (Chihara 2007). There is no approved therapeutic regimen.
Safety
The FDA reports increased insulin requirements, infections, pancreatitis, and deaths in critically ill patients in studies, with no causality established. It may raise cortisol and prolactin and alter glucose. Its use only makes sense in research or under medical supervision; buying it is not recommended.
Interactions
May increase insulin requirements in people with diabetes.
Differences between women and men
In the diagnostic test, the growth hormone response did not vary by sex. View the study →
Effect by goal · level of evidence
Diagnosis of GH deficiency in adults
improvesModerateclinical trial (A)in people
77 healthy people and 58 patients: peak GH was 1.4 µg/L in patients vs 84.6 µg/L in healthy people, with a cutoff of 15 µg/L. A reproducible test that is simpler than the insulin hypoglycemia test.
Activates the ghrelin receptor in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland and triggers growth hormone secretion. It can also raise ACTH, cortisol, and prolactin.
What the evidence says
In people
Diagnosis of GH deficiency in adults. 77 healthy people and 58 patients: peak GH was 1.4 µg/L in patients vs 84.6 µg/L in healthy people, with a cutoff of 15 µg/L. A reproducible test that is simpler than the insulin hypoglycemia test. PubMed 17609397