Growth Hormone Axis · Dosing reference

GHRP-6 dosage

What the human evidence does and does not show, how long studies ran, and the arithmetic for working with vials.

Not approved — research use onlyBLimited human dataNone established

Full research page Cycle-length evidence Compare Prefer Amiravo on Google

Regulatory status: Not approved — research use only
Human amounts: None established in humans
Route studied: —
Frequency: Not established
Half-life: Not established
Evidence grade: Grade B · Limited human data
Vial sizes on the market: 5 mg
Other forms seen: —

What GHRP-6 is

GHRP-6 is a synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue used in research on pituitary signaling and the ghrelin receptor. Human work consists mainly of small diagnostic and short-term endocrine studies. It is not approved by the FDA and is prohibited in sport.

Synthetic growth hormone secretagogues were found to act on a G protein-coupled receptor present in pituitary and hypothalamus of swine and humans, and its characterization defined a neuroendocrine pathway for pulsatile GH release ^6. The endogenous ligand of this receptor was later identified as ghrelin, a 28-amino-acid acylated peptide from stomach that releases GH in vivo and in vitro ^7. A review described… How it works →

Key evidence

Pombo et al., J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab · 1996 · Humans (short-statured children and adults with GH deficiency)
The GH response was lower in GH deficiency than in normal children but overlapped considerably, and was almost completely blocked in pituitary stalk transection. ¹
Alaioubi et al., Horm Metab Res · 2009 · Humans (49 patients with suspected pituitary or hypothalamic disease, 20 healthy controls)
GHRP-6 alone was highly specific but had limited sensitivity for adult GH deficiency, and no side effects were observed during administration. ³
Leal et al., Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) · 2002 · Humans (adults with suspected GH deficiency)
The combined test was described as able to separate normal from GH-deficient individuals, and the study asked whether a single GH sample could replace full-curve sampling. ⁴

All studies on the research page

What the human evidence shows

No approved or established human dose

We searched PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov and found no human studies that administered GHRP-6. The research described on its page is from cells or animals, and animal amounts do not translate to people.

How long did human studies run?

No human study durations are recorded for GHRP-6.

Cycle-length evidence for GHRP-6

Side effects reported in studies

No side effects reported during diagnostic administration
None observed · 49 patients and 20 healthy controls in a single diagnostic study ³
Small increases in plasma prolactin and cortisol (endocrine effect)
Reported as slight but statistically significant after intravenous administration · 6 healthy men ⁵

Full adverse-event data

GHRP-6 draw calculator

Pick the vial strength and the water added, enter an amount, and see the concentration, the units to draw and how many draws the vial holds. Arithmetic only.

1 · Vial strength

sizes on the market

2 · Water added

3 · Amount per draw

4 · Syringe

Your mix

5 mg + 2 mL water = 2.5 mg/mL

10 units holds 0.25 mg (250 mcg)

Draw toEnter an amount in step 3

U-100 syringe · 100 units = 1 mL

Computed from your inputs. Not a dose or a recommendation.

Compare water volumes for this vialShow

More water = lower concentration = a larger, easier-to-measure draw. Tap a row to use it.

Water	mg/mL	Draw
0.5 mL	10	—
1 mL	5	—
1.5 mL	3.333	—
2 mL	2.5	—
2.5 mL	2	—
3 mL	1.667	—
5 mL	1	—

Supplies and handling

Lyophilized vial
Sealed vial with the freeze-dried cake. Check the label, lot and the certificate of analysis before opening.
Sterile diluent
The diluent named on the product documentation. Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol; sterile water does not.
Graduated syringes
Sized to the volume being measured. U-100 insulin syringes are graduated in units where 100 units = 1 mL.
Alcohol prep pads
For wiping vial stoppers before each puncture.
Nitrile gloves
Clean gloves for aseptic handling.
Sharps container
Puncture-resistant container for used needles.

Step-by-step reconstitution guide Storage and transport accessories

Storage

General research-context handling for lyophilized peptides: keep cold, dry and protected from light, avoid repeated freeze-thaw of any solution, and follow the supplier's documentation. Published stability data for reconstituted material are limited.

Lyophilized (unmixed) vials: typically stored cold and dry, away from light, as the documentation directs. Many are stable longer frozen.
Reconstituted vials: typically refrigerated (about 2–8 °C), protected from light and not frozen.
Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth in multi-use vials; sterile water has no preservative.

Handling mistakes and troubleshooting

Added the wrong volume of diluent: The concentration changes, not the amount of compound in the vial. Recalculate with the volume actually added and relabel the vial.
Shook the vial and it foamed: Let it settle in the refrigerator. Foam is a sign of agitation; some peptides aggregate when shaken. Note it on the label.
The solution is cloudy or has particles: Do not use it. Cloudiness can indicate incomplete dissolution, contamination or degradation. Record the lot and contact the supplier with the certificate of analysis.
The powder cake looks melted or shrunken before reconstitution: This can indicate the vial was exposed to heat or moisture. Record the lot and condition on arrival.
Liquid sprayed back when the needle was removed: Pressure built up in the vial. Withdraw a small volume of air while adding diluent to keep pressure neutral.

Regulatory status

Status: Not approved by the FDA for any use ^10; FDA lists GHRP-6 in Category 3 of nominated 503A bulk drug substances, those nominated without adequate support ^10.
United States (FDA): GHRP-6 is not approved by the FDA for any use ^10. FDA's categorization of nominated 503A bulk drug substances (updated May 14, 2026) lists GHRP-6 in Category 3, bulk drug substances nominated without adequate support ^10.
Sport (WADA): The WADA 2026 Prohibited List names GHRP-6 under S2.2.4 (growth hormone releasing factors, including GH-releasing peptides); S2 substances are prohibited at all times, in and out of competition, and are non-Specified Substances ^11.

Status varies by country and changes over time. How we describe regulatory status.

GHRP-6 compared with related compounds

Compound	Status	Evidence	Human amounts	Half-life
GHRP-6	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	—
GHRP-2	Approved outside the US	B	None established	In a Japanese package insert, the termin
Ipamorelin	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	Terminal half-life of about 2 hours in h
Hexarelin	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	—
CJC-1295 (no DAC)	Not approved — research use only	C	None established	No half-life data specific to the no-DAC
CJC-1295 (with DAC)	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	Estimated half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days a

Combinations that include GHRP-6

CJC-1295 (no DAC) + GHRP-6

Frequently asked questions

What doses of GHRP-6 have been studied in humans?

None that establish an amount. GHRP-6 is not approved anywhere and we found no human studies that administered it. Amiravo does not publish community or vendor figures.

Is there an established GHRP-6 cycle length?

No. We found no human studies that report treatment duration for GHRP-6.

How much bacteriostatic water should be added to a GHRP-6 vial?

There is no compound-specific volume. The diluent volume only sets the concentration: concentration = mass in the vial ÷ volume added (for example, 10 mg in 2 mL gives 5 mg/mL). The calculator on this page shows the arithmetic for any combination.

How many units is a given amount on an insulin syringe?

On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL. Units for an amount = amount ÷ (concentration per unit). The calculator converts any amount you enter at the concentration you choose; a unit is a volume mark, not an amount of compound.

Is GHRP-6 FDA-approved?

Not approved — research use only. Not approved by the FDA for any use ^10; FDA lists GHRP-6 in Category 3 of nominated 503A bulk drug substances, those nominated without adequate support ^10.

References

Growth hormone releasing hexapeptide-6 (GHRP-6) test in the diagnosis of GH-deficiency J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 1996
GHRP-6 induces CREB phosphorylation and growth hormone secretion via a protein kinase Csigma-dependent pathway in GH3 cells J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci. 2010
Diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency in adults: provocative testing with GHRP6 in comparison to the insulin tolerance test Horm Metab Res. 2009
A single growth hormone (GH) determination is sufficient for the diagnosis of GH-deficiency in adult patients using the growth hormone releasing hormone plus growth hormone releasing peptide-6 test Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2002
Intranasal administration of His-D-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-LysNH2 (growth hormone releasing peptide) increased plasma growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I levels in normal men Endocrinol Jpn. 1991
A receptor in pituitary and hypothalamus that functions in growth hormone release Science. 1996
Ghrelin is a growth-hormone-releasing acylated peptide from stomach Nature. 1999
Hypothalamic growth hormone secretagogue-receptor (GHS-R) expression is regulated by growth hormone in the rat Endocrinology. 1997
Growth hormone secretagogues: mechanism of action and use in aging Growth Horm IGF Res. 1998
Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act (categories 1, 2 and 3; updated May 14, 2026) FDA. 2026
International Standard: Prohibited List 2026 (S0 Non-approved substances; S2 Peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics) World Anti-Doping Agency. 2026

Last reviewed October 22, 2026 by the Amiravo editorial team. Editorial policy · Report an error