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RUO · Research Use Only⚠ IGF-1 Elevation+2 more

GHRP-2

A ghrelin mimetic. We read all 60 studies. The protocol is below.

Updated 03 May 2026Read 11 minEvidence ●●○○○Citations 60
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The GHRP-2 Report · $19

Everything you need to start: dose, sourcing, safety, our verdict.

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Built from 60 cited studies.

Status
Research-only
Class
IGF-1 Elevation
Evidence
2/ 5●●○○○
Phase 2 / 3 anti-aging trials
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Diagnostic use trials
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Half-life
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⚠ Cancer Concern · WADA-banned
Read this if
  • you're on a bulk and want a hunger-stimulant peptide that actually works
  • you came up in the 2010s GHRP era and want to know if your protocol still makes sense
  • you were prescribed it for cachexia under a specialty pharmacy
Skip this if
  • **you're already running CJC-1295 or sermorelin (a GHRH analog)** — stacking GHRP-2 on top doubles the GH signal and the IGF-1 elevation; the chronic-IGF-1 cancer-association concern compounds across the stack, not across either peptide alone (Sigalos & Pastuszak 2018 PMID 29463389)
  • **you injected what was labeled GHRP-2 and got dramatic, lab-rat-level hunger within 20 minutes** — that's the GHRP-2 / GHRP-6 product-swap tell. GHRP-6 has a strong appetite spike. GHRP-2 doesn't. If hunger was the response, you got GHRP-6 — different molecule, different risk profile
  • you have active or recent cancer — the IGF-1 elevation is the unanswered question
  • you compete in a tested sport — WADA-banned
  • you're a binge-eater or have an eating disorder history — the appetite spike is the feature, and it's a problem
The 4 ways you can buy GHRP-2
Brand
✗
Not available
No FDA-approved GHRP-2.
Compounded 503A
✓
Rx
$120–$250/mo where sold
Some compounders still ship; the appetite + cortisol + prolactin profile means most clinics no lon…
RUO (research-only)
✓
Sold 'for research only'
$25–$80/mo
The dominant supply; cross-labeling with GHRP-6 or ipamorelin is documented.
Gray market
✓
Unregulated overseas import
$3–$10/mo
Crypto/Wise pay; cheapest of the GHRP family. WADA-prohibited regardless of source.
Click any lane for the full Sourcing breakdown.
First 90 days · GHRP-2
Weeks 1–2
Sleep depth shifts within days for the GH-secretagogue class (CJC, ipamorelin, sermorelin, hexarelin). If sleep hasn't deepened by week 2, the rest of the protocol probably won't move either.
Weeks 4–8
Subjective recovery and energy improvements. Body composition shifts modestly — slight muscle gain, slight fat loss if diet allows.
Week 12 — decide
Bloodwork: IGF-1 is the objective check. If IGF-1 hasn't moved, the protocol isn't working at this dose. Side effect bookkeeping: water retention, joint stiffness, any glucose changes.
Quit if
  • IGF-1 climbs above ~300 ng/mL (cancer-risk territory at the upper end).
  • Significant water retention or new carpal-tunnel-style symptoms.
  • New or worsening insulin resistance (fasting glucose creep).
  • 12 weeks with no IGF-1 movement and no subjective change.
Identity

What it is.

GHRP-2 is a six-amino-acid growth hormone-releasing peptide — a synthetic ghrelin-receptor agonist that triggers a GH pulse from the pituitary. It was developed in the 1990s by Kaken Pharmaceutical and Wyeth as part of the same wave of research that produced GHRP-6, hexarelin, and ipamorelin.

Mechanically, it works on the GHS-R1a receptor (the ghrelin receptor), not the GHRH receptor that sermorelin and CJC-1295 hit. The two pathways are synergistic, which is why GHRPs are often stacked with a GHRH analog — the combined pulse is bigger than either alone.

GHRP-2 is one of the more potent GHRPs. It's strongly hunger-stimulating (ghrelin's day job), modestly cortisol-and-prolactin raising at higher doses, and clears in under an hour. Sold strictly as a research chemical (RUO) in the US. WADA-banned in and out of competition.

TL;DR

TL;DR. 30-second version.

The compressed verdict — what GHRP-2 actually is, what the human evidence shows, and the watch-for in three bullets. Locked.

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Mechanism

Mechanism.

Mechanism · in the GHRP-2 report

How the molecule actually works — receptor profile, downstream signaling, what to expect mechanistically.

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Evidence

Evidence. What we actually know in humans.

Evidence · in the GHRP-2 report

The trial breakdown — phase, n, primary endpoint, who funded, what hit, what didn't.

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Human-Evidence Factbox
Phase 2 / 3 anti-aging trials
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Diagnostic use trials
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Half-life
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Cortisol / prolactin spike
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RUO product-swap with GHRP-6
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WADA status
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Long-term safety data
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Dose

Dose. The actual protocol.

Dose · in the GHRP-2 report

The specific protocol — dose, titration schedule, cycle pattern, frequency, route.

We read 60 studies to write this report.
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Sourcing

Sourcing. Where the cohort actually buys.

Sourcing · in the GHRP-2 report

Sourcing breakdown — vendor methodology, red flags, our published test results, COA checklist.

We read 60 studies to write this report.
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Safety

Safety. Side effects.

Safety · in the GHRP-2 report

The watch-for list — contraindications, drug interactions, monitoring labs, when to stop.

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Editorial Position

Editorial position.

Editorial Position · in the GHRP-2 report

Our editorial position — explicit yes / no / depends, with the reasoning behind it.

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Citations

Citations.

  1. 01— Pralmorelin: GHRP 2, GPA 748, growth hormone-releasing peptide 2, KP-102 D, KP-102 LN, KP-102D, KP-102LN. Drugs in R&D. 2004;5(4):236-9. PMID: 15230633.
  2. 02Laferrère B, et al. Growth hormone releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2), like ghrelin, increases food intake in healthy men. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2005;90(2):611-4. PMID: 15699539.
  3. 03Cox HD, et al. Detection of GHRP-2 and GHRP-6 in urine samples from athletes. Drug testing and analysis. 2015;7(5):439-44. PMID: 25809000.
  4. 04Yamamoto D, et al. GHRP-2, a GHS-R agonist, directly acts on myocytes to attenuate the dexamethasone-induced expressions of muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases, Atrogin-1 and MuRF1. Life sciences. 2008;82(9-10):460-6. PMID: 18191156.
  5. 05Semenistaya E, et al. Determination of growth hormone releasing peptides metabolites in human urine after nasal administration of GHRP-1, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Hexarelin, and Ipamorelin. Drug testing and analysis. 2015;7(10):919-25. PMID: 25869809.
+Show all 60 citations
  1. 06Bowers CY, et al. GHRP-2, GHRH and SRIF interrelationships during chronic administration of GHRP-2 to humans. Journal of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism : JPEM. 1996;9 Suppl 3:261-70. PMID: 8887169.
  2. 07Chen C, et al. Growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) does not act via the human growth hormone-releasing factor receptor in GC cells. Endocrine. 1998;9(1):71-7. PMID: 9798733.
  3. 08Kinoshita Y, et al. The arginine and GHRP-2 tests as alternatives to the insulin tolerance test for the diagnosis of adult GH deficiency in Japanese patients: a comparison. Endocrine journal. 2013;60(1):97-105. PMID: 23079545.
  4. 09Roh SG, et al. Is GHRH receptor essential to GHRP-2-induced GH secretion in primary cultured rat pituitary cells?. Endocrinology. 2002;143(5):1964-7. PMID: 11956179.
  5. 10Reverter-Branchat G, et al. On the road of dried blood spot sampling for antidoping tests: Detection of GHRP-2 abuse. Drug testing and analysis. 2021;13(3):510-522. PMID: 33197153.
  6. 11Granado M, et al. Anti-inflammatory effect of the ghrelin agonist growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) in arthritic rats. American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism. 2005;288(3):E486-92. PMID: 15507538.
  7. 12Chen C, et al. Effect of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) on the the cAMP levels and GH release from cultured acromegalic tumours. Journal of neuroendocrinology. 1998;10(6):473-80. PMID: 9688350.
  8. 13Zeng P, et al. Ghrelin receptor agonist, GHRP-2, produces antinociceptive effects at the supraspinal level via the opioid receptor in mice. Peptides. 2014;55:103-9. PMID: 24607724.
  9. 14Ghigo E, et al. Growth hormone-releasing peptides. European journal of endocrinology. 1997;136(5):445-60. PMID: 9186261.
  10. 15Wu D, et al. The effects of GH-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) and GHRP-2 on intracellular adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) levels and GH secretion in ovine and rat somatotrophs. The Journal of endocrinology. 1996;148(2):197-205. PMID: 8699133.
  11. 16Hu R, et al. Effects of GHRP-2 and Cysteamine Administration on Growth Performance, Somatotropic Axis Hormone and Muscle Protein Deposition in Yaks (Bos grunniens) with Growth Retardation. PloS one. 2016;11(2):e0149461. PMID: 26894743.
  12. 17Van den Berghe G, et al. The combined administration of GH-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2), TRH and GnRH to men with prolonged critical illness evokes superior endocrine and metabolic effects compared to treatment with GHRP-2 alone. Clinical endocrinology. 2002;56(5):655-69. PMID: 12030918.
  13. 18Chen C, et al. Effects of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) on membrane Ca2+ permeability in cultured ovine somatotrophs. Journal of neuroendocrinology. 1995;7(3):179-86. PMID: 7606243.
  14. 19Balasubramaniam A, et al. GHRP-2 attenuates burn-induced dysfunctions in rodents. Advances in experimental medicine and biology. 2009;611:571-2. PMID: 19400318.
  15. 20Veldhuis JD, et al. Factors other than sex steroids modulate GHRH and GHRP-2 efficacies in men: evaluation using a GnRH agonist/testosterone clamp. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2009;94(7):2544-50. PMID: 19351731.
  16. 21Arvat E, et al. Effects of GHRP-2 and hexarelin, two synthetic GH-releasing peptides, on GH, prolactin, ACTH and cortisol levels in man. Comparison with the effects of GHRH, TRH and hCRH. Peptides. 1997;18(6):885-91. PMID: 9285939.
  17. 22Yan M, et al. Effect of GHRH and GHRP-2 treatment in vitro on GH secretion and levels of GH, pituitary transcription factor-1, GHRH-receptor, GH-secretagogue-receptor and somatostatin receptor mRNAs in ovine pituitary cells. European journal of endocrinology. 2004;150(2):235-42. PMID: 14763922.
  18. 23Phung LT, et al. Effects of the administration of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) orally by gavage and in feed on growth hormone release in swine. Domestic animal endocrinology. 2001;20(1):9-19. PMID: 11164330.
  19. 24Granado M, et al. Ghrelin receptor agonist GHRP-2 prevents arthritis-induced increase in E3 ubiquitin-ligating enzymes MuRF1 and MAFbx gene expression in skeletal muscle. American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism. 2005;289(6):E1007-14. PMID: 16030067.
  20. 25Ohara E, et al. Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Resolves Low GHRP-2-Stimulated Growth Hormone Levels in Obese Patients. Obesity surgery. 2017;27(8):2214-2217. PMID: 28623445.
  21. 26Cheng J, et al. Growth hormone releasing peptides: a comparison of the growth hormone releasing activities of GHRP-2 and GHRP-6 in rat primary pituitary cells. Life sciences. 1997;60(16):1385-92. PMID: 9096259.
  22. 27Popławska M, et al. Identification of a novel growth hormone releasing peptide (a glycine analogue of GHRP-2) in a seized injection vial. Drug testing and analysis. 2019;11(1):162-167. PMID: 30051972.
  23. 28Sigalos JT, et al. The Safety and Efficacy of Growth Hormone Secretagogues. Sexual medicine reviews. 2018;6(1):45-53. PMID: 28400207.
  24. 29Okano M, et al. Influence of intravenous administration of growth hormone releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) on detection of growth hormone doping: growth hormone isoform profiles in Japanese male subjects. Drug testing and analysis. 2010;2(11-12):548-56. PMID: 21249726.
  25. 30Thomas A, et al. Identification of the growth-hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) in a nutritional supplement. Drug testing and analysis. 2010;2(3):144-8. PMID: 20878896.
  26. 31Okano M, et al. Determination of growth hormone secretagogue pralmorelin (GHRP-2) and its metabolite in human urine by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM. 2010;24(14):2046-56. PMID: 20552695.
  27. 32Kimura T, et al. Concordant and discordant adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) responses induced by growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and insulin-induced hypoglycemia in patients with hypothalamopituitary disorders: evidence for direct ACTH releasing activity of GHRP-2. Endocrine journal. 2010;57(7):639-44. PMID: 20431231.
  28. 33Arvat E, et al. Tyr-Ala-Hexarelin, a synthetic octapeptide, possesses the same endocrine activities of Hexarelin and GHRP-2 in humans. Journal of endocrinological investigation. 1999;22(2):91-7. PMID: 10195374.
  29. 34Roh SG, et al. Effects of muscarinic and adrenergic blockade on growth hormone secretion induced by growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) in ovariectomized ewes. Endocrine journal. 1997;44(6):861-5. PMID: 9622303.
  30. 35Phung LT, et al. The effects of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) on the release of growth hormone and growth performance in swine. Domestic animal endocrinology. 2000;18(3):279-91. PMID: 10793268.
  31. 36Sinha DK, et al. Beyond the androgen receptor: the role of growth hormone secretagogues in the modern management of body composition in hypogonadal males. Translational andrology and urology. 2020;9(Suppl 2):S149-S159. PMID: 32257855.
  32. 37Sheriff S, et al. Ghrelin receptor agonist, GHRP-2, attenuates burn injury-induced MuRF-1 and MAFbx expression and muscle proteolysis in rats. Peptides. 2009;30(10):1909-13. PMID: 19577604.
  33. 38Fukuda I, et al. Adult growth hormone deficiency: current concepts. Neurologia medico-chirurgica. 2014;54(8):599-605. PMID: 25070016.
  34. 39Doi N, et al. Pharmacological characteristics of KP-102 (GHRP-2), a potent growth hormone-releasing peptide. Arzneimittel-Forschung. 2004;54(12):857-67. PMID: 15646370.
  35. 40Wideman L, et al. Synergy of L-arginine and GHRP-2 stimulation of growth hormone in men and women: modulation by exercise. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology. 2000;279(4):R1467-77. PMID: 11004017.
  36. 41Kageyama K, et al. Evaluation of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 for diagnosis of thyrotropin-producing pituitary adenomas. Endocrine journal. 2018;65(10):1049-1054. PMID: 29973439.
  37. 42Camanni F, et al. Growth hormone-releasing peptides and their analogs. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology. 1998;19(1):47-72. PMID: 9465289.
  38. 43Chen C. The effect of two-day treatment of primary cultured ovine somatotropes with GHRP-2 on membrane voltage-gated K+ currents. Endocrinology. 2002;143(7):2659-63. PMID: 12072399.
  39. 44Lee HG, et al. Effects of dietary protein and growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP-2) on plasma IGF-1 and IGFBPs in Holstein steers. Domestic animal endocrinology. 2005;28(2):134-46. PMID: 15713362.
  40. 45Teramoto S, et al. Assessment of anterior pituitary reserve capacity based on growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 test in the elderly. Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society. 2023;71:101545. PMID: 37295337.
  41. 46Chao YN, et al. Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-2 Attenuation of Protein Kinase C-Induced Inflammation in Human Ovarian Granulosa Cells. International journal of molecular sciences. 2016;17(8). PMID: 27548147.
  42. 47Kageyama K, et al. Growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 stimulates secretion and synthesis of adrenocorticotropic hormone in mouse pituitary. Regulatory peptides. 2009;158(1-3):116-20. PMID: 19682503.
  43. 48Argente J, et al. Growth hormone-releasing peptides: clinical and basic aspects. Hormone research. 1996;46(4-5):155-9. PMID: 8950613.
  44. 49Liu Q, et al. The effect of GHRH, GHRP-2 and somatostatin on GH secretion by fetal pituitary. Journal of Tongji Medical University = Tong ji yi ke da xue xue bao. 1999;19(4):277-9. PMID: 12938517.
  45. 50Thomas A, et al. Determination of growth hormone releasing peptides (GHRP) and their major metabolites in human urine for doping controls by means of liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry. 2011;401(2):507-16. PMID: 21298258.
  46. 51Roh SG, et al. Differential regulation of GHRH-receptor and GHS-receptor expression by long-term in vitro treatment of ovine pituitary cells with GHRP-2 and GHRH. Endocrine. 2006;30(1):55-62. PMID: 17185792.
  47. 52Hu X, et al. Synthesis of Mono-PEGylated Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-2 and Investigation of its Biological Activity. AAPS PharmSciTech. 2015;16(5):1213-9. PMID: 25761386.
  48. 53Wu D, et al. The effect of GH-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2 or KP 102) on GH secretion from primary cultured ovine pituitary cells can be abolished by a specific GH-releasing factor (GRF) receptor antagonist. The Journal of endocrinology. 1994;140(2):R9-13. PMID: 8169551.
  49. 54Granado M, et al. GH-releasing peptide-2 administration prevents liver inflammatory response in endotoxemia. American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism. 2008;294(1):E131-41. PMID: 17986630.
  50. 55Asakura Y, et al. Growth hormone response to GH-releasing peptide-2 in children. Journal of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism : JPEM. 2010;23(5):473-80. PMID: 20662346.
  51. 56Roh SG, et al. Characteristics of growth hormone secretion responsiveness to growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2 or KP102) in calves. Endocrine journal. 1996;43(3):291-8. PMID: 8886623.
  52. 57Chihara K, et al. A simple diagnostic test using GH-releasing peptide-2 in adult GH deficiency. European journal of endocrinology. 2007;157(1):19-27. PMID: 17609397.
  53. 58Hirotani C, et al. ACTH releasing activity of KP-102 (GHRP-2) in rats is mediated mainly by release of CRF. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology. 2005;371(1):54-60. PMID: 15645295.
  54. 59Pihoker C, et al. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2: a phase I study in children. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1998;83(4):1168-72. PMID: 9543135.
  55. 60Van den Berghe G, et al. Growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 infusion synchronizes growth hormone, thyrotrophin and prolactin release in prolonged critical illness. European journal of endocrinology. 1999;140(1):17-22. PMID: 10037246.
The GHRP-2 Report · $19

Everything you need to start.

Dose, sourcing, safety, our verdict. One purchase. Yours forever.

Built from 60 cited studies.

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