GHRP-2 (Pralmorelin): What the Human Studies Show
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Anonymous user report. Not medical advice. Peptides discussed are not FDA-approved for the uses described. Editorial process →
What is GHRP-2?
GHRP-2, also called pralmorelin, is a synthetic six-amino-acid peptide built as a stronger version of GHRP-6 (Arvat 1997). Like GHRP-6 it switches on the ghrelin receptor, the receptor of the hunger hormone ghrelin, which triggers a growth hormone pulse and appetite.
It is one of the few peptides in this family with a real medical use. In Japan it is used as a one-time diagnostic test for adult growth hormone deficiency: in a validation study of 77 healthy adults and 58 patients, growth hormone peaked within an hour in everyone, and the peak clearly separated people with deficiency from those without (Chihara 2007). It is not approved as an ongoing treatment anywhere, and it is not approved in the US or Canada.
What human studies measured
GHRP-2 has more human data than most peptides sold online, but the studies are small and mostly short. Doses are left out on purpose. Last reviewed October 20, 2026.
| Study | Who | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Arvat 1997 | 6 young adults and 6 older adults, single injections | A stronger growth hormone response than GHRH. Prolactin, ACTH and cortisol also rose; the cortisol rise was similar to a CRH stress-hormone test |
| Nijland 1998 | 9 healthy young men, daily injections for 5 days | The growth hormone peak shrank by roughly 40% between day 1 and day 5, and IGF-1 did not rise |
| Mericq 1998 | 6 children with GH deficiency, 8 months | Overnight growth hormone rose and growth speed improved, but IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 did not rise. No side effects were seen |
| Mericq 2003 | 10 children with GH deficiency, by mouth for 12 months | 7 of 10 reported more appetite in the first 6 months; BMI did not change significantly |
| Laferrère 2005 | 7 lean healthy men, infusion vs placebo | Every man ate more at a buffet, 36% more on average |
| Laferrère 2006 | 10 lean and 9 obese adults | Food intake rose about 10% at the lower dose and 34% at the higher dose; obesity did not blunt the effect |
Claimed benefits vs the evidence
GHRP-2 is marketed for muscle, fat loss, anti-aging and recovery. Here is what the research supports.
| Claim | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| Raises growth hormone | Yes, strongly and quickly (Arvat 1997, Chihara 2007). The response faded within 5 days of daily use in healthy men (Nijland 1998) |
| Raises IGF-1 | Not in the studies above: IGF-1 did not rise in healthy men after 5 days or in children after 8 months |
| Builds muscle or burns fat | No controlled trials in healthy adults. It reliably increases appetite and food intake |
| Helps growth in GH-deficient children | Growth speed improved in one small study (Mericq 1998), but it never became a treatment |
Side effects and risks
In human studies GHRP-2 raised cortisol, ACTH and prolactin along with growth hormone (Arvat 1997), and it reliably increased hunger and food intake (Laferrère 2005 and 2006). The children's studies over 8 to 12 months reported no toxicity, but there is no long-term safety data in healthy adults. Water retention, tingling and higher blood sugar seen with longer use of the ghrelin-receptor pill MK-677 are plausible risks that have not been studied for GHRP-2.
Products sold online as GHRP-2 are unregulated. The FDA put GHRP-2 in Category 2 of its interim compounding policy in September 2023 (injectable and nasal routes), the list of bulk substances that may present significant safety risks, and it stayed there after the April 2026 update. Health Canada has not authorized it; see are peptides legal in Canada?. The 2026 WADA Prohibited List names GHRP-2 (pralmorelin) among GH-releasing peptides banned at all times, and anti-doping labs test urine for it.
GHRP-2 vs similar peptides
All act on the ghrelin receptor. These differences come from the linked studies, not head-to-head trials of results.
| Peptide | How it differs |
|---|---|
| GHRP-6 | The original hexapeptide that GHRP-2 was designed to improve on; best known for strong hunger |
| Hexarelin | Similar growth hormone, prolactin and cortisol responses to GHRP-2 in the same study (Arvat 1997) |
| Ipamorelin | Released growth hormone without the cortisol rise in animal testing (Raun 1998) |
| MK-677 | Not a peptide; a pill acting on the same receptor |
Anonymous GHRP-2 reports
No reports found.
If you have used GHRP-2, submit what happened, including hunger or side effects.
Submit yoursCommunity Q&A
- What is GHRP-2 used for?
- Its only established medical use is as a diagnostic test for adult growth hormone deficiency in Japan. It is not approved as a treatment.
- Does GHRP-2 raise IGF-1?
- Not in the published studies: IGF-1 did not rise in healthy men after 5 days of daily injections or in GH-deficient children after 8 months.
- Does GHRP-2 increase hunger?
- Yes. In a placebo-controlled study every participant ate more, about 36% more on average, and the effect held in people with obesity.
- Does GHRP-2 raise cortisol?
- Yes. Human studies found rises in cortisol, ACTH and prolactin as well as growth hormone.
- Is GHRP-2 FDA approved or legal?
- It is not FDA approved and has been in Category 2 of the FDA interim compounding policy since September 2023. WADA bans it at all times.
- Is this page a GHRP-2 dosing guide?
- No. This is not a dosing recommendation.
Sources
Anonymous first-hand reports plus sourced context — educational only, not medical advice. Editorial policy & corrections.