Skip to content
Specimen Atlas of Research Peptides30 plates · MIT
PeptidesDBan atlas
← CataloguePlate VIII of XXX
VIIIPlate VIIIReviewed 2026-04-25

GHRP-2

GHRP / Ghrelin Receptor Agonist

also known as Pralmorelin, KP-102, GHRP2

Synthetic hexapeptide GHRP — D-Ala-D-2-Nal-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH₂. Stronger GH-stimulating action than Ipamorelin but with measurable cortisol and prolactin elevation at higher doses. Approved in Japan as a diagnostic agent (Pralmorelin) for adult GH deficiency. Anecdotally used for body composition and recovery.

§ I

At a glance

Per dose
100–300 mcg
[bowers-1990-ghrp2]
Evidence level
Phase 2
[bowers-1990-ghrp2][sigalos-2018]
Half-life
~30 min
[malagon-1999]
Route

SQ · Multiple sites · 1–3×/day

§ II

Mechanism

Primary target — Ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) on anterior pituitary [bowers-1990-ghrp2].

Pathway — GHS-R1a → Gαq → Ca²⁺ → GH vesicle exocytosis [bowers-2002].

Downstream effect — Strong GH pulse + IGF-1 elevation; appetite increase via ghrelin agonism [bowers-2002].

Origin — Synthetic hexapeptide; developed by Bowers/Tulane group in the 1980s [bowers-1990-ghrp2].

Feedback intact — Yes, with somatostatin feedback active.

§ III

Dosage

Protocols described in the cited literature; not medical advice.

ParameterValue
Standard dose100–300 mcg per injection [bowers-1990-ghrp2]
Frequency1–3× per day
Lower / starter dose50 mcg per dose
Evidence basisPhase 2 + clinical diagnostic use [bowers-1990-ghrp2]
Duration8–12 weeks on / 4 off (anecdotal)
ReconstitutionBacteriostatic water
TimingPre-sleep + fasted preferred
Half-life~30 min [malagon-1999]
§ III · b

Reconstitution

A pure mass-to-volume utility. Enter what you have in the vial; the atlas computes the volume per dose. No prescription information.

Inputs
The calculator does pure mass-to-volume math. It does not recommend a dose. Refer to GHRP-2's cited literature for protocol specifics.
Volumetric outputFig. C — reconstitution math
Volume per dose
0.100mL
≈ 10.0 units on a U-100 insulin syringe
Concentration
2500
mcg per mL
Doses per vial
20
at this dose
§ V

Adverse events

Severities follow the FDA / CTCAE convention.

Cortisol elevationmoderate
Mild but measurable [bowers-1990-ghrp2]
Prolactin elevationmoderate
Mild but measurable
Hungermoderate
Strong appetite increase
Injection site reactionmild
Mild erythema
IGF-1 elevationmoderate
Strong; monitor with chronic high-dose use
Cancer risksevere
Contraindicated in active malignancy
Pregnancy / OBsevere
Avoid
Absolute contraindications
  • — Active malignancy
  • — Pregnancy / breastfeeding
Relative contraindications
  • — Untreated diabetes
§ VI

Administration

  1. 01
    Reconstitution

    Add 2 mL bacteriostatic water to 5 mg vial → 2.5 mg/mL.

  2. 02
    Injection site

    SQ — abdomen or thigh. Rotate sites.

  3. 03
    Timing

    Pre-sleep + fasted preferred.

  4. 04
    Storage

    Lyophilised: room temp, light-protected. Reconstituted: refrigerate ≤30 days.

  5. 05
    Needle

    29–31G, 4–8 mm insulin syringe.

§ VII

Synergies

strong synergy
+
GHRP-2 + CJC-1295 (no DAC)

GHRP-2 + CJC-1295-no-DAC is a higher-amplitude alternative to the ipamorelin + CJC-1295 stack. GHRP-2 produces a stronger pulse but with cortisol + prolactin signal — choose when maximum GH amplitude is the goal and the side-effect tolerance is acceptable.

Primary benefit — High-amplitude GH pulse, body composition
Appendix

Sources

36%

of 42 rendered claims carry a resolvable citation.

  1. [bowers-1990-ghrp2]
    Bowers 1990 — Growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide stimulates GH release in normal men
    JCEM, 1990
    PubMed →
  2. [bowers-2002]
    Bowers 2002 — Growth hormone secretagogues: history, mechanism of action, and clinical development
    JCEM, 2002
    Source →
  3. [malagon-1999]
    Malagón 1999 — Comparative GHRP-6 vs GHRP-2 GH-axis kinetics
    Endocrinology, 1999
    Source →
  4. [sigalos-2018]
    Sigalos 2018 — The safety and efficacy of growth hormone secretagogues
    Sex Med Rev, 2018
    PubMed →
  5. [teichman-2006]
    Teichman 2006 — Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295
    J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006
    PubMed →
Plate composed 2026-04-25 · maturity reviewed · schema v1 · Contributors: peptidesdb-core · 27 fields uncited — open contributions
Edit on GitHub →Read another →