GHRP-6 - Dosage

Growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP6) is a hexapeptide that stimulates the secretion of natural growth hormone (GH). This synthetic peptide mimics the action of Ghrelin, a natural hormone which primarily causes an increase in appetite and feelings of hunger. These properties could be useful in the world of fitness and sports because they lead to an increase in muscle mass and strength. In addition, it may have a lipolytic effect, thus leading to a decrease in the fat percentage and an increase in the metabolism of fat cells. Another important effect of this peptide is its influence on collagen metabolism, thus leading to accelerated tissue regeneration and repair after injury or interventions. The effect it has on collagen could also be useful in aesthetic medicine, as it increases skin elasticity and reduces the effects of aging. Lesser-known functions of this peptide include improved bone density, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective effects.

Dosage Chart

Timeline	1-4 week	4-12 week
Gaining mass and increasing muscle strength protocol	100 mcg – 0.1mg (two to three subcutaneous injections per day)	150 mcg – 0.15mg (two or three subcutaneous injections per day)

About the Peptide

GHRP–6 is a laboratory-synthesized hexapeptide that stimulates the secretion of growth hormone (GH). It is best known in the world of sports, fitness, and bodybuilding because its properties could possibly improve physical appearance and help achieve faster progress.
It belongs to the family of met-enkephalin analogues, which consist of artificial D-amino acids, designed to stimulate the secretion and mimic the natural hormone Ghrelin, better known as the "hunger hormone". In addition, it stimulates the secretion of GH by binding to its receptors, primarily localized in the pituitary gland but in smaller quantities in other organs such as the pancreas or the heart muscle. Besides affecting its synthesis, it may also complement its activity by acting on various pathways. When these two mechanisms of action are combined, the main properties of GHRP-6 are gained. By increasing appetite and hunger, a person desires to eat more food, which leads to faster mass gain. Since it can increase protein incorporation into muscles and affect protein synthesis pathways, the resulting appearance will be more masculine.

However, diet and physical fitness must accompany peptide consumption, because if a person uses a peptide and does not eat healthily or exercise enough, they will look like they have stored fat, and may develop serious side effects. Stimulating fat loss and the lipolytic effect only contribute to the appearance and accelerate the progress of athletes. In addition, GHRP-6 also affects collagen synthesis, improving its functions. This leads to greater skin elasticity, and at the same time, faster wound healing and tissue recovery after injuries or surgeries. This is crucial for the further development of aesthetic and regenerative medicine.
Some other beneficial effects may include improving sleep quality by prolonging the non-REM phase of sleep, which contributes to the body's rest, as well as the anti-inflammatory effect that GHRP-6 achieves by suppressing the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

List of Uses for This Peptide

Muscle Growth

Athletes and bodybuilders demonstrate significant physical fitness, which comes as a result of hard training and a healthy diet. However, once they reach a certain level of muscle size and strength, it becomes difficult to progress. Muscle growth requires tearing myocytes (muscle fibers), which occurs during training, and then filling these spaces with proteins from food. GHRP-6 can potentially help in this process and lead to faster progress and the desired appearance. Known as a potent agonist of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), this peptide binds to receptors in the pituitary gland and other organs, thereby stimulating its production. This effect is crucial for linear muscle growth and, therefore, improving its performance in terms of strength.

The most important property of the peptide is to increase the incorporation of protein into muscle fibers, which is extremely beneficial because it leads to the fact that most of the protein that athletes consume from food is incorporated into the muscles, and leads to faster growth and better progress.

With the effect of imitation and increased stimulation of Ghrelin, which is reflected in a greater desire for food, athletes could achieve enviable results. The conclusion of various scientific studies has shown that groups of subjects who were administered this peptide showed a significant increase in weight, as well as a higher percentage of protein in the muscles. It is believed that using this amino acid sequence could significantly increase the diameter of myofibers and the surface area of ​​skeletal muscles.

Anti-inflammatory Property

When any antigen enters our body, or an organism begins to perceive its own proteins as antigens (autoimmune diseases), the nearest macrophage takes them over. They represent the first line of defense and try to destroy that antigen by phagocytosis with the help of free oxygen radicals. They send signals to the body to set up other lines of defense, and as a result, it synthesizes pro-inflammatory cytokines that promote inflammation. The crucial one of them is interleukin 6 (IL6). In cases where inflammation lasts too long and has consequences for the body (in the form of slow tissue recovery or scar formation), or is created without any real danger or reason (in autoimmune diseases), GHRP-6 reduces the level of IL6 and other similar molecules, thus returning the body to normal state. Scientists assume that subcutaneous administration of this peptide in minimal doses can significantly reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the main mediators of inflammation after just a few days.

Improving Sleep Quality

For muscles to recover after a hard workout, but also the body in general after daily activities, not only is a sufficient hours of sleep needed, but also excellent quality of sleep cycles, so that the body can perform all metabolic processes during the night without being disturbed. A good sleep regime contributes to the health of the entire body and participates in the process of muscle growth, but it also reduces feelings of anxiety and restlessness.

According to the results of various studies and research, GHRP-6 can potentially lead to increased levels of GH, ACTH, and cortisol in serum, which provides suitable conditions for the body to progress and rest. The most significant changes in relation to the period of re-administration of this peptide, scientists have noticed the increase in sleep time in the second phase in the subjects, without changing slow-wave sleep. When it comes to improving sleep, another important function that GHRP-6 shows is an increase in the duration of the non-REM sleep phase, in which all activities are reduced to a minimum, including both muscle activity and sudden eye movements.

Dosage Calculator

After many years of research into the use and dosage of this peptide, the optimal dose of GHRP-6 is around 100 mcg (0.1mg), which is given several times a day (usually 2-3). This dose can be used for the first four weeks. Advanced athletes in excellent shape may consider increasing the dose to 150 mcg (0.15mg). In that case, the peptide is used the same way, but it is necessary to take a break after 8 weeks of that dose or after 12 weeks from the start of use. This break must last at least 2 weeks. Although there are several permitted methods of administration, subcutaneous injection in the abdominal region is considered the safest and most common method. The dose of 300 mcg should never be exceeded because it can lead to serious side effects.

Conclusion

GHRP-6 is a synthesized hexapeptide that could be very useful because it potentially can help in linear muscle growth and increase strength. The mechanisms of action are reflected in imitating natural hormone Ghrelin and the release of growth hormone. In addition to the above, there are various other beneficial effects, such as anti-inflammatory properties and improved sleep quality. However, the peptide must be consumed according to the indications and the mentioned dose. Otherwise, side effects may occur. GHRP-6 will certainly be the subject of research in the future.

References:

1. Zheng, Q., Qiu, W. C., Yan, J., Wang, W. G., Yu, S., Wang, Z. G., & Ai, K. X. (2008). Prokinetic effects of a ghrelin receptor agonist GHRP-6 in diabetic mice. World journal of gastroenterology, 14(30), 4795–4799. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2739343/
2. Frieboes RM, Murck H, Maier P, Schier T, Holsboer F, Steiger A. Growth hormone-releasing peptide-6 stimulates sleep, growth hormone, ACTH and cortisol release in normal man. Neuroendocrinology. 1995 May;61(5):584-9. https://doi.org/10.1159/000126883
3. Korbonits, Marta, and Ashley B. Grossman. “Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide and Its Analogues.” Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, vol. 6, no. 2, Mar. 1995, pp. 43–49
4. C.-C. Huang, D. Chou, C.-M. Yeh, and K.-S. Hsu, “Acute food deprivation enhances fear extinction but inhibits long-term depression in the lateral amygdala via ghrelin signaling,” Neuropharmacology, vol. 101, pp. 36–45, Feb. 2016
5. Y. Mendoza Marí et al., “Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide 6 Enhances the Healing Process and Improves the Esthetic Outcome of the Wounds,” Plastic Surgery International, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/psi/2016/4361702/. [Accessed: 23-May-2019].
6. Cibrián D, Ajamieh H, Berlanga J, León OS, Alba JS, Kim MJ, Marchbank T, Boyle JJ, Freyre F, Garcia Del Barco D, Lopez-Saura P, Guillen G, Ghosh S, Goodlad RA, Playford RJ. Use of growth-hormone-releasing peptide-6 (GHRP-6) for the prevention of multiple organ failure. Clin Sci (Lond). 2006 May;110(5):563-73. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16417467/
7. Frago LM, Pañeda C, Dickson SL, Hewson AK, Argente J, Chowen JA. Growth hormone (GH) and GH-releasing peptide-6 increase brain insulin-like growth factor-I expression and activate intracellular signaling pathways involved in neuroprotection. Endocrinology. 2002 Oct;143(10):4113-22. doi: 10.1210/en.2002-220261. PMID: 12239123.