Peptide
GHRP-6
GHRP-6 (Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide-6) is a synthetic hexapeptide (His-DTrp-Ala-Trp-DPhe-Lys-NH2) that potently stimulates growth hormone secretion. Developed in the 1980s by Cyril Bowers, it was the first synthetic peptide shown to specifically elicit dose-dependent GH release both in vitro and in vivo. GHRP-6 acts through the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) and CD36 receptor, exhibiting not only GH-releasing properties but also significant cytoprotective, cardioprotective, and wound healing effects. It increases IGF-1 levels, stimulates appetite, and has demonstrated tissue-protective properties in multiple preclinical and clinical studies. While primarily researched for GH deficiency, emerging evidence supports its potential in wound healing, scar prevention, and cardioprotection.
- Updated
- How we grade
- 33 studies cited
Research notice. This page is for education and research. Peptides may not be FDA-approved for human use and may only be legally available for research. Talk to a qualified clinician before considering any peptide.
- Best evidence
- Grade A
- Conditions studied
- 6
- Outcomes
- 12
- Graded outcomes
- 1371
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
Hormonal Health
Metabolic Health
- Appetite Stimulation: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appetite Stimulation Notable Increase | Improves (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 5 studies | 140 people | ||
Studies that measured appetite stimulation
| ||||||
Neurological Health
- Brain IGF-1 Expression: improves
Growth Development
- Height Velocity (Children): improves
Skin Health
- Wound Healing Rate: improves
- Hypertrophic Scar Prevention: improves
General
- Blood Glucose Control: improves
- Liver Protection: improves
- Cognitive Function: improves
Key findings
- Growth Hormone ReleaseImproves (the measure goes up)
- IGF-1 LevelsWorsens (the measure goes up)
- Myocardial ProtectionImproves (the measure goes up)
Studies cited
33 studies from PubMed
- Growth hormone releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) ameliorates acute lung injury and its subsequent evolvement to interstitial fibrosis.
- Intranasal Delivery of a Ghrelin Mimetic Engages the Brain Ghrelin Signaling System in Mice.
- The Ghrelin Analog GHRP-6, Delivered Through Aquafeeds, Modulates the Endocrine and Immune Responses of Sparus aurata Following IFA Treatment.
- Growth hormone releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) prevents doxorubicin-induced myocardial and extra-myocardial damages by activating prosurvival mechanisms
- Inhibition of ghrelin activity by the receptor antagonist [D-Lys3]-GHRP-6 enhances hepatic fatty acid oxidation and gluconeogenesis in a growing pig model.
- D-Lys-3-GHRP-6 impairs memory consolidation and downregulates the hippocampal serotonin HT1A, HT7 receptors and glutamate GluA1 subunit of AMPA receptors.
- Inhibition of Ghrelin Activity by Receptor Antagonist [d-Lys-3] GHRP-6 Attenuates Alcohol-Induced Hepatic Steatosis by Regulating Hepatic Lipid Metabolism.
- Growth hormone-releasing peptide 6 prevents cutaneous hypertrophic scarring: early mechanistic data from a proteome study
- Long-term treatment with the ghrelin receptor antagonist [d-Lys3]-GHRP-6 does not improve glucose homeostasis in nonobese diabetic MKR mice.
- Local injection of d-lys-3-GHRP-6 in the rat amygdala, dentate gyrus or ventral tegmental area impairs memory consolidation.
- Synthetic Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptides (GHRPs): A Historical Appraisal of the Evidences Supporting Their Cytoprotective Effects
- Growth Hormone Secretagogue Treatment in Hypogonadal Men Raises Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Levels
- Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide 6 Enhances the Healing Process and Improves the Esthetic Outcome of the Wounds
- Insulin and growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) have differential beneficial effects on cell turnover in the pituitary, hypothalamus and cerebellum of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.
- The positive effects of growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 on weight gain and fat mass accrual depend on the insulin/glucose status
- Growth-hormone-releasing peptide 6 (GHRP6) prevents oxidant cytotoxicity and reduces myocardial necrosis in a model of acute myocardial infarction
- Growth hormone response to GHRH + GHRP-6 in type 2 diabetes during euglycemic and hyperglycemic clamp.
- Growth hormone (GH) and GH-releasing peptide-6 increase brain insulin-like growth factor-I expression and activate intracellular signaling pathways involved in neuroprotection
- Acute central ghrelin and GH secretagogues induce feeding and activate brain appetite centers
- Diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency in adults by testing with GHRP-6 alone or in combination with GHRH: comparison with the insulin tolerance test.
- Growth hormone-releasing peptides
- Growth hormone-releasing effect of oral growth hormone-releasing peptide 6 (GHRP-6) administration in children with short stature
- Growth hormone releasing peptide (GHRP-6) stimulates phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover in human pituitary somatotroph cells
- Absence of growth hormone (GH) secretion after the administration of either GH-releasing hormone (GHRH), GH-releasing peptide (GHRP-6), or GHRH plus GHRP-6 in children with neonatal pituitary stalk transection.
- Growth hormone secretion after the administration of GHRP-6 or GHRH combined with GHRP-6 does not decline in late adulthood.
- Effect of GHRP-6 and GHRH on GH secretion in rats following chronic glucocorticoid treatment.
- Blocked growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP-6)-induced GH secretion and absence of the synergic action of GHRP-6 plus GH-releasing hormone in patients with hypothalamopituitary disconnection: evidence that GHRP-6 main action is exerted at the hypothalamic level.
- Inhibition of growth hormone release after the combined administration of GHRH and GHRP-6 in patients with Cushing's syndrome.
- Regulation of growth hormone secretion by the growth hormone releasing hexapeptide (GHRP-6).
- Effect of growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone (GHRH), atropine, pyridostigmine, or hypoglycemia on GHRP-6-induced GH secretion in man.
- Influence of sex, age and adrenergic pathways on the growth hormone response to GHRP-6.
- Massive growth hormone (GH) discharge in obese subjects after the combined administration of GH-releasing hormone and GHRP-6: evidence for a marked somatotroph secretory capability in obesity.
- Regulation of His-dTrp-Ala-Trp-dPhe-Lys-NH2 (GHRP-6)-induced GH secretion in the rat.