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

Hexarelin

The most potent GH-releaser of the GHRP family on a per-microgram basis. We read all 60 studies. The protocol is below.

Updated 03 May 2026Read 12 minEvidence ●●○○○Citations 60
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The Hexarelin 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 trials
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Receptor desensitization
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Half-life
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⚠ Cancer Concern · WADA-banned
Read this if
  • you started GHRPs around 2010 and never switched
  • you're cardiology-curious about the CD36 mechanism and the rat heart-failure data
  • you understand "tachyphylaxis" and are okay with a compound that loses effect over weeks
Skip this if
  • **you're stacking Hexarelin on top of a GHRH analog (CJC-1295, sermorelin, tesamorelin)** — Hexarelin produces the strongest GH pulse of the GHRP family on a per-mcg basis (Imbimbo 1994 PMID 8156922); stacked with a GHRH analog the IGF-1 elevation compounds; combined with Hexarelin's separate cardiac CD36 engagement (Locatelli 1999 PMID 10100665) that has **never been studied in chronic human use**, the stack risk is two unknowns multiplied, not added
  • you want sustained GH elevation — the receptor desensitizes hard
  • you have active or recent cancer
  • you compete in a tested sport — WADA-banned
The 4 ways you can buy Hexarelin
Brand
✗
Not available
No FDA-approved hexarelin.
Compounded 503A
✓
Rx
$140–$280/mo where sold
Few compounders carry hexarelin; tachyphylaxis profile is a disincentive for clinic-led programs.
RUO (research-only)
✓
Sold 'for research only'
$35–$110/mo
Smaller supply pool than GHRP-2/6; identity-failures more common.
Gray market
✓
Unregulated overseas import
$5–$11/mo
Crypto/Wise pay; one 5mg×10 box lasts ~16 months at typical dose. WADA-prohibited regardless of so…
Click any lane for the full Sourcing breakdown.
First 90 days · Hexarelin
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.

Hexarelin is a six-amino-acid growth hormone-releasing peptide developed in the 1990s by an Italian research group (Mediolanum, then Pharmacia). It's a methylated analog of GHRP-6 — same ghrelin-receptor mechanism, but the most potent GH releaser in the GHRP class on a milligram basis.

What makes hexarelin distinctive isn't the GH pulse, though. It's the cardiac signaling. Hexarelin binds an additional receptor called CD36 in heart tissue, and animal work shows it has direct cardioprotective effects independent of GH — improved myocardial function, reduced ischemic damage. It was investigated briefly as a heart-failure drug in the late 1990s.

The development program stalled. It's not for anything. 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 Hexarelin actually is, what the human evidence shows, and the watch-for in three bullets. Locked.

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Mechanism

Mechanism.

Mechanism · in the Hexarelin 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 Hexarelin 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 trials
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Receptor desensitization
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Half-life
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Cortisol / prolactin spike
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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 Hexarelin 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 Hexarelin 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 Hexarelin 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 Hexarelin report

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

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Citations

Citations.

  1. 01Guan C, et al. Hexarelin alleviates apoptosis on ischemic acute kidney injury via MDM2/p53 pathway. European journal of medical research. 2023;28(1):344. PMID: 37710348.
  2. 02Mao Y, et al. The cardiovascular action of hexarelin. Journal of geriatric cardiology : JGC. 2014;11(3):253-8. PMID: 25278975.
  3. 03Jiang B, et al. Hexarelin attenuates abdominal aortic aneurysm formation by inhibiting SMC phenotype switch and inflammasome activation. Microvascular research. 2022;140:104280. PMID: 34856183.
  4. 04Agbo E, et al. Hexarelin protects cardiac H9C2 cells from angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy via the regulation of autophagy. Die Pharmazie. 2019;74(8):485-491. PMID: 31526442.
  5. 05Mosa RM, et al. Implications of ghrelin and hexarelin in diabetes and diabetes-associated heart diseases. Endocrine. 2015;49(2):307-23. PMID: 25645463.
+Show all 60 citations
  1. 06Zambelli V, et al. Hexarelin modulates lung mechanics, inflammation, and fibrosis in acute lung injury. Drug target insights. 2021;15:26-33. PMID: 34871336.
  2. 07Deghenghi R. Hexarelin: a multi-receptor peptide. Journal of endocrinological investigation. 2008;31(7):680. PMID: 18787392.
  3. 08Korbonits M, et al. Hexarelin as a test of pituitary reserve in patients with pituitary disease. Clinical endocrinology. 1999;51(3):369-75. PMID: 10469018.
  4. 09Cheng XL, et al. Hexarelin attenuates atherosclerosis via inhibiting LOX-1-NF-κB signaling pathway-mediated macrophage ox-LDL uptake in ApoE(-/-) mice. Peptides. 2019;121:170122. PMID: 31386895.
  5. 10Filigheddu N, et al. Hexarelin protects H9c2 cardiomyocytes from doxorubicin-induced cell death. Endocrine. 2001;14(1):113-9. PMID: 11322493.
  6. 11Baser T, et al. Ghrelin receptor agonist hexarelin attenuates antinociceptive tolerance to morphine in rats. Canadian journal of physiology and pharmacology. 2021;99(5):461-467. PMID: 32893668.
  7. 12Meanti R, et al. Hexarelin Modulation of MAPK and PI3K/Akt Pathways in Neuro-2A Cells Inhibits Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Apoptotic Toxicity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland). 2021;14(5). PMID: 34066741.
  8. 13Chow KBS. Hexarelin promotes the survival of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve transection. Indian journal of pharmacology. 2026;58(2):126-130. PMID: 41766237.
  9. 14Kolovou GD, et al. We are ageing. BioMed research international. 2014;2014:808307. PMID: 25045704.
  10. 15Meanti R, et al. Protective Effects of Hexarelin and JMV2894 in a Human Neuroblastoma Cell Line Expressing the SOD1-G93A Mutated Protein. International journal of molecular sciences. 2023;24(2). PMID: 36674509.
  11. 16Agbo E, et al. Modulation of PTEN by hexarelin attenuates coronary artery ligation-induced heart failure in rats. Turkish journal of medical sciences. 2019;49(3):945-958. PMID: 31091855.
  12. 17Mao Y, et al. Hexarelin treatment in male ghrelin knockout mice after myocardial infarction. Endocrinology. 2013;154(10):3847-54. PMID: 23861368.
  13. 18Massoud AF, et al. Interaction of the growth hormone releasing peptide hexarelin with somatostatin. Clinical endocrinology. 1997;47(5):537-47. PMID: 9425393.
  14. 19Torsello A, et al. Hexarelin stimulation of growth hormone release and mRNA levels in an infant and adult rat model of impaired GHRH function. Neuroendocrinology. 1997;65(2):91-7. PMID: 9067986.
  15. 20McDonald H, et al. Hexarelin targets neuroinflammatory pathways to preserve cardiac morphology and function in a mouse model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie. 2020;127:110165. PMID: 32403043.
  16. 21Massoud AF, et al. The effect of repeated administration of hexarelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, and growth hormone releasing hormone on growth hormone responsivity. Clinical endocrinology. 1996;44(5):555-62. PMID: 8762732.
  17. 22Ciccarelli E, et al. Hexarelin, a synthetic growth hormone releasing peptide, stimulates prolactin secretion in acromegalic but not in hyperprolactinaemic patients. Clinical endocrinology. 1996;44(1):67-71. PMID: 8706295.
  18. 23McDonald H, et al. Hexarelin treatment preserves myocardial function and reduces cardiac fibrosis in a mouse model of acute myocardial infarction. Physiological reports. 2018;6(9):e13699. PMID: 29756411.
  19. 24Pettersson I, et al. Natural (ghrelin) and synthetic (hexarelin) GH secretagogues stimulate H9c2 cardiomyocyte cell proliferation. The Journal of endocrinology. 2002;175(1):201-9. PMID: 12379504.
  20. 25Pang J, et al. Hexarelin suppresses high lipid diet and vitamin D3-induced atherosclerosis in the rat. Peptides. 2010;31(4):630-8. PMID: 19931584.
  21. 26Westberg C, et al. Hexarelin--evaluation of factors influencing oral bioavailability and ways to improve absorption. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology. 2001;53(9):1257-64. PMID: 11578108.
  22. 27Mosa R, et al. Hexarelin, a Growth Hormone Secretagogue, Improves Lipid Metabolic Aberrations in Nonobese Insulin-Resistant Male MKR Mice. Endocrinology. 2017;158(10):3174-3187. PMID: 28977588.
  23. 28Demers A, et al. Hexarelin Signaling to PPARgamma in Metabolic Diseases. PPAR research. 2008;2008:364784. PMID: 18288286.
  24. 29Giustina A, et al. Hexarelin, a novel GHRP-6 analog, counteracts the inhibitory effect of hydrocortisone on growth hormone secretion in acromegaly. Endocrine research. 1995;21(3):569-82. PMID: 7588427.
  25. 30Sigalos JT, et al. The Safety and Efficacy of Growth Hormone Secretagogues. Sexual medicine reviews. 2018;6(1):45-53. PMID: 28400207.
  26. 31Coiro V, et al. Desmopressin and hexarelin tests in alcohol-induced pseudo-Cushing's syndrome. Journal of internal medicine. 2000;247(6):667-73. PMID: 10886488.
  27. 32Rossoni G, et al. Hexarelin, a growth hormone secretagogue, protects the isolated rat heart from ventricular dysfunction produced by exposure to calcium-free medium. Pharmacological research. 2000;42(2):129-36. PMID: 10887041.
  28. 33Rahim A, et al. Growth hormone status during long-term hexarelin therapy. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1998;83(5):1644-9. PMID: 9589671.
  29. 34Broglio F, et al. Effects of acute hexarelin administration on cardiac performance in patients with coronary artery disease during by-pass surgery. European journal of pharmacology. 2002;448(2-3):193-200. PMID: 12144941.
  30. 35Roumi M, et al. Kinetics and disposition of hexarelin, a peptidic growth hormone secretagogue, in rats. Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals. 2000;28(1):44-50. PMID: 10611139.
  31. 36Rahim A, et al. The effect of chronic hexarelin administration on the pituitary-adrenal axis and prolactin. Clinical endocrinology. 1999;50(1):77-84. PMID: 10341859.
  32. 37Xu X, et al. Hexarelin suppresses cardiac fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis in rat. American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology. 2007;293(5):H2952-8. PMID: 17766487.
  33. 38Giustina A, et al. Hexarelin, a novel GHRP-6 analog, stimulates growth hormone (GH) release in a GH-secreting rat cell line (GH1) insensitive to GH-releasing hormone. Regulatory peptides. 1997;70(1):49-54. PMID: 9250581.
  34. 39Arosio M, et al. Lack of effect of hexarelin on TRH-induced TSH response in normal adult man. Journal of endocrinological investigation. 1998;21(4):239-44. PMID: 9624598.
  35. 40Rigamonti AE, et al. Six-week treatment with hexarelin in young dogs: evaluation of the GH responsiveness to acute hexarelin or GHRH administration, and of the orexigenic effect of hexarelin. European journal of endocrinology. 1999;141(3):313-20. PMID: 10474131.
  36. 41Korbonits M, et al. The growth hormone secretagogue hexarelin stimulates the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis via arginine vasopressin. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1999;84(7):2489-95. PMID: 10404825.
  37. 42Xu X, et al. Chronic administration of hexarelin attenuates cardiac fibrosis in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology. 2012;303(6):H703-11. PMID: 22842067.
  38. 43Arvat E, et al. Arginine and growth hormone-releasing hormone restore the blunted growth hormone-releasing activity of hexarelin in elderly subjects. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1994;79(5):1440-3. PMID: 7962341.
  39. 44Conley LK, et al. Mechanism of action of hexarelin and GHRP-6: analysis of the involvement of GHRH and somatostatin in the rat. Neuroendocrinology. 1995;61(1):44-50. PMID: 7731497.
  40. 45Massoud AF, et al. Hexarelin-induced growth hormone, cortisol, and prolactin release: a dose-response study. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1996;81(12):4338-41. PMID: 8954038.
  41. 46Waddingham MT, et al. Using Synchrotron Radiation Imaging Techniques to Elucidate the Actions of Hexarelin in the Heart of Small Animal Models. Frontiers in physiology. 2022;12:766818. PMID: 35126171.
  42. 47Mao Y, et al. One dose of oral hexarelin protects chronic cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Peptides. 2014;56:156-62. PMID: 24747279.
  43. 48Micic D, et al. The sequential administration of growth hormone-releasing hormone followed 120 minutes later by hexarelin, as an effective test to assess the pituitary GH reserve in man. Clinical endocrinology. 1996;45(5):543-51. PMID: 8977750.
  44. 49Massoud AF, et al. Hexarelin induced growth hormone release is influenced by exogenous growth hormone. Clinical endocrinology. 1995;43(5):617-21. PMID: 8548947.
  45. 50Maccario M, et al. Metabolic modulation of the growth hormone-releasing activity of hexarelin in man. Metabolism: clinical and experimental. 1995;44(1):134-8. PMID: 7854159.
  46. 51Ghigo E, et al. Growth hormone-releasing activity of hexarelin, a new synthetic hexapeptide, after intravenous, subcutaneous, intranasal, and oral administration in man. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 1994;78(3):693-8. PMID: 8126144.
  47. 52Zhao Y, et al. Hexarelin Protects Rodent Pancreatic Β-Cells Function from Cytotoxic Effects of Streptozotocin Involving Mitochondrial Signalling Pathways In Vivo and In Vitro. PloS one. 2016;11(2):e0149730. PMID: 26918825.
  48. 53Ghigo E, et al. Growth hormone-releasing peptides. European journal of endocrinology. 1997;136(5):445-60. PMID: 9186261.
  49. 54Biagini G, et al. Beneficial effects of desacyl-ghrelin, hexarelin and EP-80317 in models of status epilepticus. European journal of pharmacology. 2011;670(1):130-6. PMID: 21914437.
  50. 55Arvat E, et al. Modulation of growth hormone-releasing activity of hexarelin in man. Neuroendocrinology. 1995;61(1):51-6. PMID: 7731498.
  51. 56Sartorio A, et al. GH responsiveness to repeated GHRH or hexarelin administration in normal adults. Journal of endocrinological investigation. 1995;18(9):718-22. PMID: 8719303.
  52. 57Zhang X, et al. Improvement of cardiomyocyte function by in vivo hexarelin treatment in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Physiological reports. 2018;6(4). PMID: 29446246.
  53. 58Maréchal L, et al. The CD36-PPARγ Pathway in Metabolic Disorders. International journal of molecular sciences. 2018;19(5). PMID: 29883404.
  54. 59Rahim A, et al. Does desensitization to hexarelin occur?. Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society. 1998;8 Suppl B:141-3. PMID: 10990150.
  55. 60De Gennaro-Colonna V, et al. Endocrine, metabolic and cardioprotective effects of hexarelin in obese Zucker rats. The Journal of endocrinology. 2000;166(3):529-36. PMID: 10974647.
The Hexarelin 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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