GHRP-2 Dosage
GHRP-2 is a micro peptide composed of 6 amino acids and a synthetic agonist of Ghrelin. This natural hormone is synthesized in the stomach, in small quantities. It can also be found in other organs such as the brain, pancreas, or small intestine. Its main function is to stimulate hunger, which allows the body to receive larger amounts of protein, which can be useful for bodybuilders who want to add weight and grow muscle. Growth hormone (GH) receptors are sensitive to GHRP - 2, so its ability to increase the secretion of this hormone could be an excellent property used in treating short stature.
In addition to the possible increase in lean body mass, this peptide may increase exercise tolerance and improve sleep quality. Muscle recovery after exercise, their linear growth, and increased strength are some of the crucial properties that make this peptide very useful in the world of sports and bodybuilding. GHRP-2 is available for use in several forms, such as intravenous injections, oral, sublingual, subcutaneously, or intranasal way of administration.
Dosage Chart
Timeline |
1-4 week |
4-12 week |
Gaining mass and increasing muscle strength protocol |
100mcg or 0.1mg (two to three subcutaneously injections per day) |
150mcg or 0.15mg (two to three subcutaneously injections per day) |
About the Peptide
This peptide belongs to a small class of compounds composed of 4-7 amino acids, some of which are also GHRP-1, 4, 5, 6. Its beneficial properties useful in various fields come from two different mechanisms of action.
The first one relates to the fact that GHRP-2 is known as a potent agonist of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) localized primarily in the pituitary gland, pancreas, or heart tissue. This is a crucial property potentially useful in treating short stature. This is a condition that occurs as a result of hormonal disorders and can also be idiopathic. Sometimes, short stature is only one of the symptoms of a more serious disorder. Still, whatever the pattern, reduced levels of growth hormone are present, so subsequent binding to the GH receptors improves the patient's general condition.
The second mechanism of action is related to the natural hormone Ghrelin. Its effect is mostly reflected in an increase in appetite. Due to this function, the patient feels hungry and reaches for more food. It may seem like a negative side because in this way, the patient consumes more fat. However, since GHRP-2 is a synthetic agonist of this hormone, it imitates its properties with improvements in certain characteristics. Thus, with more food consumed, the incorporation of protein into muscle fibers is enhanced, and the fat mass is reduced. This property is very useful for bodybuilders who use this type of supplementation.
GHRP-2 has been particularly studied in the field of arthritis and inflammation because it shows potential in terms of anti-inflammatory responses. Arthritis is an autoimmune chronic disease that affects the joints and is based on an immune response against its own cells. The main symptom is joint deformity, which reduces the patient's mobility. Studies on experimental animals show that eight days of therapy with this peptide significantly reduced the arthritis score. GHRP-2 could improve exercise tolerance, speed up recovery after training, improve the quality of sleep cycles, and increase maximum oxygen intake. Some of the lesser known but equally beneficial effects are increasing the elasticity of the skin, and improving the condition of internal organs.
List of Uses for This Peptide
Muscle Growth
When it comes to the effect that GHRP-2 has on increasing muscle mass, both mechanisms of action come into play. The fact that growth hormone receptors are sensitive to this peptide increases its production. Studies have shown that groups of athletes who received this peptide gained a significant increase in body weight. What is crucial, considering that the peptide enhances the incorporation of protein into the muscles and reduces fat mass, bodybuilders use this supplement to improve their appearance and make progress easier.
Since it imitates the effect of Ghrelin as its agonist, it significantly affects appetite and leads to a feeling of hunger, so athletes take a larger amount of food that is distributed properly. It is important to emphasize that the diet must follow the activities because, in the short term, it is still possible to achieve a higher percentage of fat. Scientists assume that using GHRP-2 could significantly increase the diameter of myofibers and the surface area of skeletal muscles. In this way, the process of protein synthesis is accelerated and deposited better. The crucial point is that this peptide has no anabolic effect.
Sleep Quality
Quality sleep is important for the health of the entire body, but especially for recovery after training. For muscles to grow linearly and gain strength, they must be provided with enough quality sleep. The results of much scientific research have shown that administration of this peptide increases serum levels of GH, ACTH, and cortisol, which ensures that the body progresses by performing all metabolic processes. The crucial change observed among subjects who received this amino acid sequence compared to those who did not is an increased average time of stage 2 sleep without changing slow-wave sleep patterns. A sublingual way of application is still advised as the most suitable option because, in this way, the drug does not pass through the liver, thus saving this organ from additional burden. Another positive effect is reflected in the improvement of the non-REM sleep phase when the body is completely rested.
Anti-inflammatory Effect
GHRP-2 has shown much potential in anti-inflammatory response, which could be crucial in treating conditions with various types of immunological reactions that result in inflammation. Scientists have studied this effect on arthritis conditions, where the greatest progress has been made. Rheumatoid arthritis is a severe autoimmune chronic disease that, due to the process of creating antibodies to its own proteins localized in the joints, has a great impact on them. The first symptom is most often painful and hardly mobile small joints of the hands and feet, and later, this symptom spreads to large ones such as the hip, knee, and shoulder. Over time, patients have great difficulty moving and bending, so in the final stages, the patient moves with the help of a wheelchair.
The mechanism of action in this case lies in reducing the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines. One of the most important is interleukin 6 (IL6), which stimulates inflammation and is extremely increased in conditions like this. The ability of GHRP-2 to reduce its levels could greatly improve the condition. Scientific studies on experimental animals show that after injecting a compound that creates symptoms of inflammation, and administering the peptide in a minimal dose, improvement occurs after only eight days.
Dosage Calculator
Although GHRP-2 has many indications, the dosage is quite well studied and similar for each of them. Scientists believe that the optimal dose of this peptide is 1-2mcg/kg, which brings us to a dose of about 100 mcg (0.1mg), which is administered 2-3 times a day for the first four weeks.
After that, the dose can be slightly increased to 150 mcg (15mg), administered similarly. The peptide can be used like this for 12 weeks, after which taking a break of at least two weeks is necessary.
It is assumed that the preparation is best administered subcutaneously using an insulin syringe, in the abdominal region. The first dose is given 30-60 minutes before the first meal, the next is best consumed during training, and the last 2-3 hours after the last meal. After each injection, eating should be avoided for at least 30 minutes.
Increasing the dose is related to the condition, so this method with 3 injections and a higher dose is recommended only for advanced exercisers. The optimal dose of 200 mcg must never be exceeded regardless of physical abilities because it can lead to serious side effects and hormonal imbalances. It is recommended that before each use, the above dose be mixed with distilled water (the ratio is 5mg of peptide to 2l of water). The water must be poured down the wall of the bottle gradually to ensure good dissolution. Then, the bottle is gently turned and shaken, left in the refrigerator, and used this way within 30-35 days.
Conclusion
GHRP-2 is an agonist of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) and an agonist of the natural hormone Ghrelin, which is the basis of all its beneficial effects. Some of the described effects are an increase in muscle growth and strength, an improvement in sleep quality, and an anti-inflammatory effect.
In addition, this peptide could increase skin elasticity, improve recovery after training, and increase exercise tolerance. If used in a dose of 100mcg to a maximum of 200mcg, GHRP-2 could be very useful, especially in the world of sports, but it will certainly be the subject of research in the future.
References:
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- Pihoker C, Middleton R, Reynolds GA, Bowers CY, Badger TM. Diagnostic studies with intravenous and intranasal growth hormone-releasing peptide-2 in children of short stature. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1995 Oct;80(10):2987-92. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7559885/
- GHRP 2, GPA 748, Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide 2, KP-102 D, KP-102 LN, KP-102D, KP-102 LN. https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00126839-200405040-00011#
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- Veldhuis, J. D., Keenan, D. M., Bailey, J. N., Adeniji, A. M., Miles, J. M., & Bowers, C. Y. (2009). Novel relationships of age, visceral adiposity, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF binding protein concentrations to growth hormone (GH) releasing-hormone and GH releasing-peptide efficacies in men during experimental hypogonadal clamp. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 94(6), 2137–2143. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2009-0136
- Bowers, C. Y., Granda, R., Mohan, S., Kuipers, J., Baylink, D., & Veldhuis, J. D. (2004). Sustained elevation of pulsatile growth hormone (GH) secretion and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and IGFBP-5 concentrations during 30-day continuous subcutaneous infusion of GH-releasing peptide-2 in older men and women. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 89(5), 2290–2300. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2003-031799
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- V. Bodart et al., “Identification and characterization of a new growth hormone-releasing peptide receptor in the heart,” Circ. Res., vol. 85, no. 9, pp. 796–802, Oct. 1999.