GHRP-2 (Pralmorelin)
Evidence: B/C — Meaningful Human EvidenceGH Axis / Body Composition
Evidence Snapshot
What this grade covers
B for the approved Japanese diagnostic use of pralmorelin hydrochloride and multiple human provocative or diagnostic studies evaluating GH, ACTH, and cortisol responses; C for acute human endocrine pharmacology, incomplete endocrine selectivity, and small short-duration human studies showing increased food intake and GH secretion; D for therapeutic body-composition improvement, fat loss, muscle or strength gain, athletic performance, injury recovery, sleep improvement, anti-aging or longevity effects, treatment of adult or pediatric growth-hormone deficiency outside approved diagnostic use, sustained weight outcomes, and long-term safety because adequate controlled clinical outcome evidence is absent.
Regulatory Context
Pralmorelin hydrochloride is approved in Japan as a single-administration diagnostic agent for assessing growth-hormone deficiency. It is not FDA-approved in the United States and is not approved as a treatment for body composition, recovery, anti-aging, or wellness.
Research Takeaway
GHRP-2 is a ghrelin-receptor agonist that stimulates growth-hormone release.
See all 11 evidence claims →Quick Summary
GHRP-2, also called pralmorelin, is a synthetic ghrelin-receptor agonist that stimulates GH release and can also affect appetite, prolactin, ACTH, and cortisol. Japan uses pralmorelin as a diagnostic stimulus for GH deficiency, while U.S. FDA materials identify safety and product-quality concerns for compounded injectable and nasal GHRP-2. Human evidence supports endocrine and diagnostic effects, not broad wellness outcomes.
Mechanism & Research Overview
GHRP-2, also known as pralmorelin, activates the ghrelin/growth-hormone-secretagogue receptor and can provoke an acute pituitary GH response. Human studies also show that it is not completely selective for GH and may influence prolactin, ACTH, cortisol, appetite, and glucose-related physiology depending on the setting.
Evidence Grade Breakdown
A single letter grade can't capture how evidence quality differs across approved use, off-label use, and unsupported claims. The categories below break that down -- none of them grade this compound "overall."
Overall Research Grade
GHRP-2 has an approved diagnostic role in Japan and a meaningful body of human provocative-test, endocrine, and short-duration food-intake evidence. These data establish biological activity and diagnostic utility but do not establish broad therapeutic efficacy, sustained body-composition or weight outcomes, performance enhancement, recovery benefits, anti-aging effects, or long-term safety.
BApproved Diagnostic Use and Provocative Testing
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Approved Diagnostic Use and Provocative Testing
Pralmorelin hydrochloride has an approved diagnostic use in Japan, supported by official PMDA product information and multiple human studies evaluating GH, ACTH, cortisol, pituitary, and adrenal responses. This evidence supports diagnostic and provocative-test utility, not chronic therapeutic use.
CHuman Endocrine and Pharmacology Evidence
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Human Endocrine and Pharmacology Evidence
Small human studies demonstrate acute GH release and effects on prolactin, ACTH, cortisol, and pituitary or adrenal-axis responses. These studies establish pharmacologic activity and incomplete endocrine selectivity but do not establish therapeutic clinical outcomes.
CHuman Appetite and Food-Intake Evidence
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Human Appetite and Food-Intake Evidence
Two direct human studies report acute increased food intake after GHRP-2, including one randomized crossover study showing dose-dependent food-intake and GH responses. The evidence is short-duration and does not establish sustained weight change, obesity treatment, body-composition benefit, or long-term therapeutic value.
DHuman Therapeutic Outcome Efficacy
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Human Therapeutic Outcome Efficacy
No adequate controlled human outcome evidence establishes that GHRP-2 reduces body fat, increases muscle mass or strength, improves athletic performance, accelerates injury recovery, improves sleep, reverses aging, or treats adult or pediatric growth-hormone deficiency outside its approved diagnostic context.
DSafety and Long-Term Use
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Safety and Long-Term Use
Human and regulatory evidence identifies nonselective endocrine effects, increased food intake, immunogenicity and impurity concerns for compounded products, and serious-event reports with uncertain causality. Long-term clinical safety, repeated-use safety, pediatric treatment safety, and chronic organ-system outcomes remain inadequately established.
CPreclinical and Mechanistic Evidence
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Preclinical and Mechanistic Evidence
The source set contains one negative repeated-administration animal study and one cell-based mechanistic study. These findings provide limited contextual and mechanistic evidence but cannot establish human therapeutic efficacy or safety.
B/CRegulatory, Identity, and Anti-Doping Context
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Regulatory, Identity, and Anti-Doping Context
Official PMDA, FDA, PubChem, and WADA sources support diagnostic status, United States non-approval, 503A and 503B category framing, chemical identity distinctions, compounding-related safety context, and anti-doping status. These sources provide regulatory and identity context and are not evidence of therapeutic efficacy.
Evidence reviewed
- Randomized human trials
- 1
- Controlled human trials
- 2
- Observational human studies
- 5
- Regulatory documents
- 5
- Preclinical studies
- 2
- Primary sources reviewed
- 16 of 17
Study counts describe the reviewed evidence base. They do not independently determine evidence quality.
How MitoCore grades evidence
Grade definitions
- A
- Strong and directly applicable evidence, generally including regulatory support or multiple high-quality replicated human trials for the exact claim and population.
- A-
- Strong human evidence with limited uncertainty, narrower applicability, or incomplete replication.
- B+
- Moderately strong evidence with meaningful human support but important scope, duration, safety, or generalizability limitations.
- B
- Credible evidence with notable uncertainty, limited replication, or mixed results.
- C
- Preliminary or inconsistent evidence, usually limited human data or strong indirect evidence.
- D
- Weak, indirect, population-limited, or largely unsupported evidence for the specific use being graded.
- F
- No credible supporting evidence, evidence contradicting the claim, or claims based primarily on speculation or marketing.
Confidence definitions
- High
- The evidence classification is unlikely to change substantially with ordinary additional research.
- Moderate
- The classification is reasonably supported but could change with additional high-quality evidence.
- Low
- The evidence base is sparse, indirect, inconsistent, or dependent on uncertain assumptions.
- Very Low
- The evidence base is extremely limited, speculative, or unsuitable for firm conclusions.
Scope
The grade evaluates the evidence supporting the specific category or claim. A grade does not evaluate product purity, supplier quality, personal suitability, treatment appropriateness, individual outcomes, legality, or medical safety for a specific person.
These grades and confidence levels describe the research evidence itself. They are not medical recommendations, and they do not evaluate any specific product, supplier, or individual's situation.
Evidence Claims
Individual scientific statements drawn from the sources cited below, each shown with the specific evidence boundary that statement does not establish.
Supported
GHRP-2 is a ghrelin-receptor agonist that stimulates growth-hormone release.
Sources: A simple diagnostic test using GH-releasing peptide-2 in adult GH deficiency; 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
Supported
Pralmorelin hydrochloride is used in Japan as a diagnostic agent for growth-hormone deficiency.
Sources: GHRP Kaken 100 Injection — Pralmorelin Hydrochloride Official Product Information
Supported
GHRP-2 is not fully selective for GH and can increase prolactin, ACTH, and cortisol.
Supported
GHRP-2 increased food intake in a controlled study of healthy men.
Sources: Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-2 (GHRP-2), like ghrelin, increases food intake in healthy men
Supported
FDA identifies serious-event reports and immunogenicity or impurity concerns for compounded injectable and nasal GHRP-2, while noting uncertain causality for reported clinical events.
Supported
GHRP-2 is a distinct molecule from GHRP-6, hexarelin, ipamorelin, ghrelin, GHRH, and CJC-1295, and is not an approved recombinant growth-hormone product; free-base, hydrochloride, acetate, TFA, and unspecified commercial forms must not be assumed interchangeable.
Sources: PubChem Pralmorelin / GHRP-2 Record
Supported
As of FDA's May 14, 2026 503A category list, GHRP-2 is a Category 1 substance under evaluation, which does not mean FDA approval or a finding of safety or effectiveness. FDA separately lists injectable and nasal GHRP-2 in 503B Category 2 because of potential significant safety risks, citing aggregation and peptide-related impurity concerns and an unnatural amino acid that complicates characterization.
Sources: FDA 503A Bulk Drug Substances Categories, Updated May 14, 2026; Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding That May Present Significant Safety Risks — GHRP-2
Supported
A later randomized crossover study in lean and obese participants found dose-dependent increases in food intake and GH secretion after GHRP-2.
Sources: Dose-Dependent Effects of GHRP-2 on Food Intake and GH
Supported
Human endocrine studies characterize pituitary and adrenal-axis responses to GHRP-2, consistent with non-selective endocrine spillover beyond GH release.
Supported
Experimental studies in critically ill patients examined combined endocrine stimulation with GHRP-2. FDA-cited serious adverse-event reports in this population have uncertain causality and do not establish routine therapeutic benefit.
Supported
No adequate controlled human evidence establishes that GHRP-2 reduces body fat, increases muscle mass or strength, improves athletic performance, accelerates injury recovery, improves sleep, reverses aging, or treats adult or pediatric growth-hormone deficiency.
Sources: A simple diagnostic test using GH-releasing peptide-2 in adult GH deficiency; GHRP-2 and Endocrine Axes in Critical Illness
Safety & Evidence Limitations
Considerations reported in the sources cited on this page — not a complete list of every possible risk, and not medical advice.
Higher-Priority Safety Consideration
FDA notes reports including increased insulin requirement, deaths, infection, and pancreatitis in subjects receiving GHRP-2, while emphasizing that causality has not been established.Higher-Priority Safety Consideration
FDA identifies aggregation, peptide-related impurities, unnatural amino-acid characterization, and route-specific immunogenicity concerns for compounded products.Safety Consideration
Human comparative studies found increases in prolactin, ACTH, and cortisol in addition to GH.Safety Consideration
A controlled human study found increased food intake, consistent with ghrelin-receptor agonism.Safety Consideration
The human literature is dominated by single-dose endocrine testing and small studies rather than long-term clinical outcome trials.
Research Areas Being Studied
Research areas discussed on this page reflect the GH Axis / Body Composition category and the sources cited below.
Findings Reported in Studies
Educational summary only — reported in cited studies, not a claim of proven benefit.
- Clinical Usefulness of the Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide-2 Test for Hypothalamic-Pituitary Disorder (2022):
- Investigation of the clinical significance of the growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 test for the diagnosis of secondary adrenal failure (2016):
- Determination of growth hormone secretagogue pralmorelin (GHRP-2) and its metabolite in human urine by LC/ESI tandem mass spectrometry (2010):
- A simple diagnostic test using GH-releasing peptide-2 in adult GH deficiency (2007):
- Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-2 (GHRP-2), like ghrelin, increases food intake in healthy men (2005):
- 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 (1997):
- Dose-Dependent Effects of GHRP-2 on Food Intake and GH ():
- GHRP-2 and Endocrine Axes in Critical Illness ():
- Pituitary and Adrenal Responses to GHRP-2 ():
Study Tables by Evidence Type
Human Studies & Clinical Data
| Title | Year | Population / Model | Dose / Duration / Finding | Safety Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Usefulness of the Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide-2 Test for Hypothalamic-Pituitary Disorder | 2022 | 36 adults with hypothalamic-pituitary disorder | Combined ACTH + peak cortisol response achieved 100% specificity for pituitary adrenal insufficiency; authors recommend measuring ACTH alongside GH during testing. | ||
| Investigation of the clinical significance of the growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 test for the diagnosis of secondary adrenal failure | 2016 | 47 adults tested for secondary adrenal insufficiency | Achieved 88.9% specificity and 89.7% sensitivity for secondary adrenal insufficiency at a cortisol cutoff of 11.6 mcg/dL, using the same GHRP-2 diagnostic dose. | ||
| Determination of growth hormone secretagogue pralmorelin (GHRP-2) and its metabolite in human urine by LC/ESI tandem mass spectrometry | 2010 | 10 male volunteers | Validated a urine-detection method for GHRP-2 for anti-doping use. | ||
| A simple diagnostic test using GH-releasing peptide-2 in adult GH deficiency | 2007 | 77 healthy adults + 58 adults with GH deficiency | A peak GH cutoff of 15 mcg/L reliably diagnosed severe adult GH deficiency with favorable reproducibility.
| ||
| Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-2 (GHRP-2), like ghrelin, increases food intake in healthy men | 2005 | 7 lean healthy men | Produced a 35.9% increase in food intake vs. saline.
| ||
| 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 | 1997 | Six healthy young adults and six healthy elderly subjects | GHRP-2 and hexarelin produced strong GH responses and also increased prolactin, ACTH, and cortisol, demonstrating incomplete endocrine selectivity.
| Small, acute physiology study; it does not establish repeated-use safety. | |
| Dose-Dependent Effects of GHRP-2 on Food Intake and GH | Lean and obese participants (randomized crossover) | Randomized crossover study in lean and obese participants found dose-dependent increases in food intake and GH secretion after GHRP-2. | |||
| GHRP-2 and Endocrine Axes in Critical Illness | Critically ill patients | Experimental study of combined endocrine stimulation with GHRP-2 in critically ill patients. | FDA-cited serious adverse-event reports in critically ill subjects receiving GHRP-2 have uncertain causality; the study does not establish routine therapeutic benefit. | ||
| Pituitary and Adrenal Responses to GHRP-2 | Healthy adults | Human endocrine study characterizing pituitary and adrenal-axis responses to GHRP-2, consistent with non-selective endocrine spillover beyond GH release. |
Animal / Cell / Preclinical Data
| Title | Year | Population / Model | Dose / Duration / Finding | Safety Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-2 Attenuation of Protein Kinase C-Induced Inflammation in Human Ovarian Granulosa Cells | 2016 | KGN human ovarian granulosa cells and primary rat granulosa cells | GHRP-2 suppressed PKC-induced COX-2/IL-8 inflammation via p38/JNK/NF-kB inhibition. | ||
| Effects of long-term treatment with growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 in the GHRH knockout mouse | 2005 | GHRH-knockout mice | Failed to reverse growth hormone deficiency and did not stimulate growth; the increase in body weight observed reflected worsened body composition, not benefit. Included here as a negative result to avoid cherry-picking only positive studies.
|
Regulatory Documents & Official Trial Registries
| Title | Year | Population / Model | Dose / Duration / Finding | Safety Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List | 2026 | Anti-doping regulatory standard | WADA lists growth-hormone-releasing factors and secretagogues, including CJC-1295, sermorelin, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, and examorelin/hexarelin, as prohibited in sport. | Anti-doping status is not a clinical safety or efficacy determination. | |
| Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding That May Present Significant Safety Risks — GHRP-2 | 2026 | FDA compounding safety summary | FDA identifies immunogenicity and peptide-characterization concerns for compounded injectable and nasal GHRP-2. | FDA notes reports including increased insulin requirement, deaths in critically ill study subjects, infection, and pancreatitis, while stating that causality has not been established. | |
| FDA 503A Bulk Drug Substances Categories, Updated May 14, 2026 | 2026 | As of the May 14, 2026 list, GHRP-2 and GHRP-6 are both Category 1 substances under FDA evaluation for the 503A Bulks List. Category 1 status is not FDA approval and does not establish a finding of safety or effectiveness or automatic authorization to compound. | |||
| GHRP Kaken 100 Injection — Pralmorelin Hydrochloride Official Product Information | 2025 | Official Japanese diagnostic product information | The product is indicated in Japan for diagnosis of growth-hormone secretory deficiency.
| Official product contraindications, precautions, and adverse reactions should be read in the current Japanese label; the diagnostic use should not be generalized to chronic treatment. | |
| PubChem Pralmorelin / GHRP-2 Record | PubChem identity record for pralmorelin (GHRP-2), a synthetic six-residue growth-hormone-releasing peptide containing non-natural amino-acid residues and acting primarily at the ghrelin/growth-hormone-secretagogue receptor. |
Review Articles / Secondary Sources
| Title | Year | Population / Model | Dose / Duration / Finding | Safety Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pralmorelin: GHRP 2, GPA 748, growth hormone-releasing peptide 2, KP-102 D, KP-102 LN, KP-102D, KP-102LN | 2004 | Drug-development review | Review of pralmorelin development, mechanism, diagnostic use, and discontinued therapeutic-development programs. | Secondary source; primary studies and official product information should support specific clinical and safety claims. |
Anecdotal Reported Patterns — Not Medical Advice
Anecdotal Reported Patterns — Not Medical Advice
Reported dosing patterns are included for educational context only. They are self-reported, unverified, not medical advice, and not instructions for human use. Community-submitted patterns are not yet available in this Phase 1 prototype; this section is a placeholder reserved for moderated, aggregated community data.
Lab Markers to Discuss With a Clinician
Educational topics only — not self-monitoring instructions.
FAQ
Disclaimer
Educational research summary only. This page does not provide medical advice, treatment guidance, product-quality assurance, or instructions for human use.
Educational use only. This content is provided for informational and research-summary purposes only. It is not medical advice, not a treatment recommendation, not a dosing guide, and not a substitute for care from a licensed medical professional. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent, or mitigate disease. Reported dosing patterns, when shown elsewhere on the site, must be labeled either as Study / Trial Dosing or Anecdotal Reported Patterns — Not Medical Advice. Community reports are self-reported, unverified, and not scientific proof.
Community-reported experiences, once enabled, must be displayed only as moderated, anonymized, or aggregated data. They are anecdotal, self-reported, unverified, and should never be presented as proof of safety, efficacy, or expected results.
Content status: Content pending review. Last updated 2026-07-26.
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