GHRP-2
Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-2 (Pralmorelin; D-Ala-D-beta-Nal-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2)
Access and compounding status raise extra safety and legal questions.
A lab-made peptide that triggers growth hormone release from the pituitary gland (a small gland in the brain) by working like ghrelin, the body's natural hunger hormone. It is approved in Japan as a diagnostic test for growth hormone deficiency, and has been studied for stimulating appetite in people with severe weight loss from illness.
This entry is a cited research summary, not an established treatment reference. Dosing language is included as source context, not as medical instruction.
Safety Summary
The most reproducible effect in human studies is increased appetite/food intake: all 7 healthy men ate significantly more during GHRP-2 infusion (35.9% increase, P=0.004; PMID 15699539), and 7 of 10 GH-deficient children reported increased appetite during oral treatment (PMID 14513874). Formal adverse-event reporting in clinical studies was favorable: no side effects reported in the 7-subject feeding study (PMID 15699539), intranasal therapy described as well tolerated in pediatric study (PMID 9390009), and no obvious side effects in the 1-year anorexia nervosa case (PMID 26401470). A 30-day continuous SC infusion and 12-month oral administration in children also reported no adverse effects (as referenced in PMID 15699539). GHRPs as a class mildly stimulate cortisol and prolactin, with effects described as modest and transient (PMID 9186261). The FDA Category 2 listing cites reports of serious adverse events including increased insulin requirement, death of critically ill study subjects, infection, and pancreatitis -- though causality was not established (FDA Category 2 list). GH secretagogues as a class raise concern for decreased insulin sensitivity (PMID 28400207). Regulatory analysts cite cortisol and prolactin elevation as concerns for continued Category 2 classification. Community reports (not peer-reviewed) include: elevated resting heart rate (~100 BPM post-injection), significant hunger within 30 minutes, water retention, sleep disruption during initial weeks, and skin improvements. Users note GHRP-2 produces less appetite stimulation than GHRP-6 but more than ipamorelin. Long-term safety data in humans are limited.
Clinical check-in
If real-world use or exposure is being considered, review potential interactions, contraindications, and monitoring needs with a licensed clinician rather than relying on summary copy alone.
Sources: [1-23]