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GHRP-2

Growth hormone secretagogue (ghrelin receptor agonist)

Also known as Pralmorelin, KP-102, GPA-748

A ghrelin receptor agonist with real human pharmacology behind it, approved in Japan as a diagnostic agent, and zero registered trials for anything people actually use it for.

What doses have been studied? What each trial gave, with the population it was given to.

Guide updated Oct 22, 2026Literature checked Oct 21, 20263 curated studies26 literature recordsBaseline editorial

Overview

In shortA synthetic peptide that triggers growth hormone release. It is better characterized in humans than most in this family, because it went through a real development program and is approved in Japan as a diagnostic test. That it releases growth hormone is not in doubt. Whether repeated use does what people take it for has never been tested.

GHRP-2 is a synthetic hexapeptide that stimulates growth hormone release by acting at the ghrelin receptor. It is better characterized in humans than most of the growth hormone secretagogues in this compendium, because it went through a real development program and reached approval in Japan as a diagnostic agent for growth hormone deficiency.

The gap in this entry is specific and worth stating plainly. Its pharmacology as a GH-releasing stimulus is not in doubt. What has never been tested in a registered trial is whether repeated use produces any of the body composition, recovery or anti-aging outcomes it is used for. At the time of writing the trial registry returns nothing for it.

Mechanism

In shortIt acts on the same receptor as ghrelin in the pituitary and hypothalamus, producing a pulse of growth hormone and downstream IGF-1. Because it works through your own pathway rather than replacing the hormone, the response is still subject to feedback and your pituitary's own capacity sets a ceiling that injected growth hormone does not have. It also raises appetite, cortisol and prolactin.

Agonist at the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, the same receptor ghrelin acts on, in the pituitary and hypothalamus. This produces a pulse of growth hormone release, and downstream IGF-1.

Because it works through the endogenous pathway rather than replacing growth hormone directly, the response is subject to feedback, and the pituitary's own capacity sets a ceiling that exogenous GH does not have. It also stimulates appetite and raises cortisol and prolactin, which is a real difference between secretagogues rather than a footnote.

Evidence

In shortEstablished as a diagnostic trigger: it reliably provokes growth hormone release, and that is what its Japanese approval covers. For everything else, nothing. No registered trial has tested repeated use for muscle, fat loss, recovery, sleep or aging. The plausibility is real and the outcome evidence does not exist, and those are two different statements frequently merged into one.

Established as a diagnostic stimulus: it reliably provokes GH release, and that is what its Japanese approval covers.

For everything else, nothing. No registered trial has tested repeated administration for muscle mass, fat loss, recovery, sleep or aging. The pharmacological plausibility is real and the outcome evidence does not exist, and those are two different statements that are frequently merged into one.

Safety

In shortA single dose is well tolerated in the diagnostic setting. The known off-target effects, raised cortisol and prolactin, matter most with repeated use, which is exactly what has not been studied. Keeping growth hormone and IGF-1 raised carries the whole family's concerns: insulin resistance, fluid retention, joint pain, and feeding an existing cancer.

Acute administration is well tolerated in the diagnostic setting. The known off-target effects, elevated cortisol and prolactin, are the ones that matter most with repeated use, and repeated use is exactly what has not been studied.

Sustained elevation of GH and IGF-1 carries the concerns that apply to the whole class: insulin resistance, fluid retention, joint pain, and a theoretical concern about promoting the growth of an existing malignancy.

Regulatory status

In shortApproved in Japan for diagnostic use. Not approved for anything anywhere else, and sold as research-use-only material. Banned in sport at all times.

Approved in Japan for diagnostic use. Not approved for any indication elsewhere, and sold as research-use-only material.

Prohibited in sport at all times under WADA's S2 category, which covers growth hormone secretagogues explicitly.

The literature

3 studies indexed. Findings and limitations get equal weight, on purpose.

Always check the primary source

Members area

The GHRP-2 literature needs an account

Everything above is free to read. What an account opens is the evidence underneath it: 3 studies with their limitations, and the regimen each trial actually reported.

  • Every study, with what it found and what it cannot show
  • The limitations, given the same weight as the findings
  • The dose each named trial administered, where recorded
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Free to create. A membership is separate, and you can decide about that later.

Reading is free, an account is not the same as paying. 80 compound guides, every study with its limitations written underneath, and the regimens those trials actually used. A free account opens all of it. A membership is a separate decision, and it opens the forum. What membership costs.

The wider literature

26 indexed papers and 0 registered trials mentioning GHRP-2, straight from PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov. These have not been read by us. Unlike the studies above, they carry no findings and no limitations written by anyone here, because writing either would mean claiming a reading nobody has done. They are a starting point for yours.

Papers (26)

  1. Pharmacotherapy in Cachexia: A Review of Endocrine Abnormalities and Steroid Pharmacotherapy.

    Celichowska M, et al.Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy2022PMID 35758863

    journal articlereview

  2. Determination of the immunostimulatory drug-glucosoaminyl-muramyl-dipeptide-in human plasma using HPLC-MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study.

    Moskaleva NE, et al.Biomedical chromatography : BMC2020PMID 32652605

    journal article

  3. Beyond the androgen receptor: the role of growth hormone secretagogues in the modern management of body composition in hypogonadal males.

    Sinha DK, et al.Translational andrology and urology2020PMID 32257855

    journal articlereview

  4. Glycine-modified growth hormone secretagogues identified in seized doping material.

    Gajda PM, et al.Drug testing and analysis2019PMID 30136411

    journal article

  5. Detection of black market follistatin 344.

    Reichel C, et al.Drug testing and analysis2019PMID 31758732

    journal article

  6. Identification of a novel growth hormone releasing peptide (a glycine analogue of GHRP-2) in a seized injection vial.

    Popławska M, et al.Drug testing and analysis2019PMID 30051972

    journal article

  7. Analysis of new growth promoting black market products.

    Krug O, et al.Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society2018PMID 29864719

    journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov't

  8. Ghrelin Receptor Ligands Reaching Clinical Trials: From Peptides to Peptidomimetics; from Agonists to Antagonists.

    Vodnik M, et al.Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme2016PMID 26551992

    journal articlereview

  9. Detection of GHRP-2 and GHRP-6 in urine samples from athletes.

    Cox HD, et al.Drug testing and analysis2015PMID 25809000

    journal article

  10. Adult growth hormone deficiency: current concepts.

    Fukuda I, et al.Neurologia medico-chirurgica2014PMID 25070016

    journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov'treview

  11. Growth hormone secretagogues: out of competition.

    Pinyot A, et al.Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry2012PMID 22083629

    evaluation studyjournal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov't

  12. Identification of the growth-hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) in a nutritional supplement.

    Thomas A, et al.Drug testing and analysis2010PMID 20878896

    journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov't

  13. Determination of growth hormone secretagogue pralmorelin (GHRP-2) and its metabolite in human urine by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

    Okano M, et al.Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM2010PMID 20552695

    evaluation studyjournal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov't

  14. GHRP-2 attenuates burn-induced dysfunctions in rodents.

    Balasubramaniam A, et al.Advances in experimental medicine and biology2009PMID 19400318

    journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov't

  15. Ghrelin receptor agonist GHRP-2 prevents arthritis-induced increase in E3 ubiquitin-ligating enzymes MuRF1 and MAFbx gene expression in skeletal muscle.

    Granado M, et al.American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism2005PMID 16030067

    journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov't

  16. Pharmacological characteristics of KP-102 (GHRP-2), a potent growth hormone-releasing peptide.

    Doi N, et al.Arzneimittel-Forschung2004PMID 15646370

    journal article

  17. General pharmacology of KP-102 (GHRP-2), a potent growth hormone-releasing peptide.

    Furuta S, et al.Arzneimittel-Forschung2004PMID 15646371

    journal article

  18. Pralmorelin: GHRP 2, GPA 748, growth hormone-releasing peptide 2, KP-102 D, KP-102 LN, KP-102D, KP-102LN.

    Drugs in R&D2004PMID 15230633

    journal articlereview

  19. Gateways to clinical trials.

    Bayes M, et al.Methods and findings in experimental and clinical pharmacology2002PMID 12092009

    journal articlereview

  20. Body composition, physical exercise, growth hormone and obesity.

    Weltman A, et al.Eating and weight disorders : EWD2001PMID 11706505

    journal articlereview

  21. Growth hormone-releasing peptides and their analogs.

    Camanni F, et al.Frontiers in neuroendocrinology1998PMID 9465289

    journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov'treview

  22. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue.

    Raun K, et al.European journal of endocrinology1998PMID 9849822

    journal article

  23. New GH secretagogues and potential usefulness in thalassemia.

    Karydis I, et al.Journal of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism : JPEM1998PMID 10091157

    journal articlereview

  24. Growth hormone-releasing peptides.

    Ghigo E, et al.European journal of endocrinology1997PMID 9186261

    journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov'treview

  25. Effects of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) on membrane Ca2+ permeability in cultured ovine somatotrophs.

    Chen C, et al.Journal of neuroendocrinology1995PMID 7606243

    journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov't

  26. The effect of GH-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2 or KP 102) on GH secretion from primary cultured ovine pituitary cells can be abolished by a specific GH-releasing factor (GRF) receptor antagonist.

    Wu D, et al.The Journal of endocrinology1994PMID 8169551

    journal articleresearch support, non-u.s. gov't

Discussion

GHRP-2 has its own forum, and sits in Testosterone & Hormones. Every post says what kind of claim it makes.

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For Research & Educational Discussion Only. Not Medical Advice

This guide is educational reference material compiled from published literature. It is not medical advice, not a recommendation, and not a substitute for a clinician who knows your history. Nothing here should be used to make a decision about your own health without one.

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