Hexarelin
Also known as Examorelin, EP-23905, MF-6003, Hexarelin acetate
Hexarelin is a potent synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue (a GHRP-6 analog) that stimulates pituitary GH release via the ghrelin receptor and is also studied for GH-independent cardioprotective effects through CD36.
Typical use cases
Dosing guidelines
Titration
Community protocols commonly describe starting at a single low daily dose and adding doses over time, with cycling (e.g., several weeks on followed by a break) cited to mitigate the partial, reversible GH-response desensitization observed in research. This is descriptive only and not medical guidance.
Reconstitution
Supplied as a lyophilized powder; community sources reconstitute with bacteriostatic water (commonly 1-2 mL per vial) and gently swirl rather than shake. Reconstituted solution is kept refrigerated.
Injection sites
Subcutaneous injection into rotating sites such as the abdomen (around the navel), upper outer thigh, or flank/love handle; intravenous administration was used in clinical research settings.
Storage & handling
Lyophilized powder is typically stored refrigerated (2-8 C) or frozen for long-term storage, kept away from light; once reconstituted, it is refrigerated and generally used within several weeks.
Side effects
- Water retention / edema and joint or muscle aches
- Increased hunger and transient flushing or tingling
- Elevated prolactin and cortisol with higher or frequent dosing
- Reduced GH response over time (partial, reversible desensitization)
- Numbness/tingling in extremities or carpal-tunnel-like symptoms
- Impaired glucose tolerance / transient insulin resistance
Research summary
Hexarelin (examorelin, EP-23905/MF-6003) is a synthetic hexapeptide (His-D-2-methyl-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) derived from GHRP-6, developed in the early 1990s as a growth hormone secretagogue. It is a high-affinity agonist of the ghrelin/growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a) in the pituitary and hypothalamus, producing among the most potent acute GH releases of the GHRP class in human studies, with marked synergy when co-administered with GHRH. Human work is largely limited to short-term endocrine challenge testing: dose-response and diagnostic studies confirmed robust GH release in healthy adults, short-normal children, obese subjects, and patients with GH deficiency, and the compound reached Phase II trials for GH deficiency and congestive heart failure but did not complete development and was never marketed. A notable finding is partial, reversible desensitization of the GH response with repeated/chronic dosing, which recovers after a washout period. A substantial separate body of preclinical (mostly rodent and in-vitro) research shows GH-independent cardioprotection — improving left-ventricular function after ischemia/reperfusion and myocardial infarction, attenuating remodeling, and acting via the scavenger receptor CD36 and IL-1/PTEN/Akt-mTOR-related pathways — alongside reports of improved lipid metabolism in insulin-resistant animal models. Key limitations are the absence of long-term human safety and efficacy data, lack of regulatory approval for any indication, and reliance on acute/animal evidence; nearly all current human use is non-clinical and unregulated.
Key references
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Examorelin
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28321024/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7673411/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10990150/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5659698/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7018219/
Related compounds
Educational reference only — not medical advice. Dosing figures are commonly-cited ranges, not prescriptions. Consult a qualified clinician.
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