ModerateCaution
Berberine
Berberine may lower glucose while GHRP-2 can affect glucose and appetite.
Recommendation: Avoid unsupervised stacking; monitor glucose if a clinician is supervising endocrine testing.
GHRP-2
Peptide ·Insufficient evidence ·Reviewed May 2026
GHRP-2, also called pralmorelin, is a synthetic hexapeptide ghrelin receptor agonist that stimulates growth hormone release. It is approved in Japan for diagnostic assessment of growth hormone deficiency, but it is not FDA-approved for human use in the United States and is not approved for anti-aging, bodybuilding, fat loss, or wellness protocols. Long-term therapeutic evidence is limited, and risks include appetite change, glucose effects, cortisol or prolactin elevations, edema, and WADA-prohibited status.
The bottom line
Evidence rating insufficient. Most-documented uses: acutely stimulates gh release in diagnostic or research settings, approved in japan for gh deficiency diagnostic testing, may increase appetite. 3 sources indexed (1998–2005), with 3 interaction records on file.
The science
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
GHRP-2 activates GHS-R1a receptors in the pituitary and hypothalamus to stimulate GH pulses through a pathway distinct from GHRH. It can also influence ACTH, cortisol, prolactin, appetite, and gastric signaling because the ghrelin receptor is not restricted to somatotrophs. Repeated dosing may attenuate GH response, and acute hormone elevation does not prove durable clinical benefit.3,1
Class
Synthetic GH secretagogue and diagnostic pralmorelin peptide
Found in food
None
Low-status signs
No GHRP-2 deficiency exists
Dosing
Dosing & protocol.
Common range
No FDA-approved human dose; Japan diagnostic use is clinic-administered and protocol-specific
Recommended form
Not recommended as a supplement; use only as approved diagnostic drug where legally available or in approved research
Peptide use in studies is parenteral. Nonsterile or research-grade injection is unsafe.
Forms
Forms & what to buy.
Ranked by evidence and value.
Pralmorelin Diagnostic Injection Recommended
Approved only in specific jurisdictions for diagnostic testing. Clinic-administered parenteral use.
Lyophilized Research Peptide
Not FDA-approved and not appropriate for human injection. Sterility and identity cannot be assumed.
Cost
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Research peptide vial.
BudgetBest value
$45 /mo
$1.50 per dose
Mid
$135 /mo
$4.50 per dose
Premium
$360 /mo
$12.00 per dose
Research-market pricing is not a recommendation for human use. Updated 2026-06-04.
Goals
Goal-based dosing.
GH Deficiency Diagnostic Testing
Dose: Jurisdiction-specific diagnostic protocol2
Timing: Endocrinology clinic protocol
Not a treatment or wellness dose.
Body Composition or Anti-Aging
Dose: No FDA-approved dose
Timing: Not applicable
Long-term outcome evidence is inadequate and use is prohibited in sport.
Appetite Stimulation
Dose: No approved US dose
Timing: Not applicable
Hunger is a pharmacologic effect and may worsen metabolic risk.
Lab work
Markers to track.
What to test, the optimal window inside the conventional range, and how long a response takes.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 IGF-1
May or may not increase with repeated use; short studies show possible response attenuation.3,1
Optimal
80–250 ng/mL
Conventional
50–300 ng/mL
Responds in
4-8 weeks if medically monitored
50optimal300
Do not use for unsupervised research peptide decisions.
Fasting glucoseHbA1cProlactin
Why people use it
Symptoms it's matched to.
Where this appears in the symptom-to-supplement map, ranked by relevance.
Low appetite
20% relevance
Ghrelin receptor activation can increase food intake acutely.1
DigestiveInsufficient evidenceNot recommended
Not an approved appetite medication in the US.
Low IGF-1 on labs
18% relevance
Acutely stimulates GH, but repeated short exposure may not raise IGF-1.3,1
HormoneInsufficient evidenceNot recommended outside medical testing
Endocrinology evaluation is required.
Poor muscle recovery
8% relevance
Performance claims are extrapolated from GH pulses, not proven outcomes.
AthleticInsufficient evidenceNot recommended
WADA-prohibited.
Safety
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Hunger
- Flushing
- Headache
- Sleepiness
- Injection-site reaction
- Water retention
- Glucose intolerance
- Possible cortisol or prolactin elevation
Contraindications
Interactions
Interaction records.
ModerateCaution
Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Alpha-lipoic acid affects insulin sensitivity while GHRP-2 may alter glucose handling.
Recommendation: Use glucose monitoring in any supervised context and avoid research-product self-use.
InfoCaution
Creatine
Creatine water weight can obscure edema or rapid weight changes from GH secretagogue use.
Recommendation: Track edema symptoms, blood pressure, and glucose rather than interpreting scale weight alone.
Sources
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Randomized controlled trials
1- 1Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-2 (GHRP-2), like ghrelin, increases food intake in healthy menNeeds sourceNo linkLaferrere B et al. · Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism · 2005
GHRP-2 infusion increased ad libitum food intake in a small study of healthy men.
Reviews & position papers
1- 2Pralmorelin: GHRP 2, GPA 748, growth hormone-releasing peptide 2, KP-102 D, KP-102 LN, KP-102D, KP-102LNNeeds sourceNo linkNo authors listed · Drugs in R&D · 2004
Review summarized pralmorelin development and clinical diagnostic context.
Reference material
1- 3A five day treatment with daily subcutaneous injections of growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 causes response attenuation and does not stimulate insulin-like growth factor-I secretion in healthy young menNeeds sourceNo linkJanssen JA et al. · Clinical Endocrinology · 1998
Daily GHRP-2 caused attenuation of GH response and did not raise IGF-1 over 5 days.
Keep exploring
Deep dives & adjacent profiles.
This page is educational. Do not start, stop, or change a supplement or medication based on it without checking with a qualified healthcare professional.
Use this with your stack
GHRP-2 in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.