GHRP-2
A synthetic growth-hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP) that mimics ghrelin to stimulate the body’s own GH. It is a strong GH releaser but also tends to raise appetite, cortisol and prolactin. Used as a diagnostic agent in some countries; not an approved therapeutic in the US.
Quick take
- What it is: a synthetic growth-hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP), also known as pralmorelin, that mimics ghrelin.
- What people use it for: raising natural GH; it also strongly increases appetite.
- What we actually know: it reliably raises GH short-term but tends to raise cortisol, prolactin and hunger.
- Status: used diagnostically in some countries; not an FDA-approved therapeutic, and banned in competitive sport.
What it is
GHRP-2, also known as pralmorelin, is a synthetic growth-hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP). Like ghrelin, it acts on the GH-secretagogue receptor to stimulate the pituitary to release the body’s own growth hormone (GH).1 It is one of the classic GHRPs alongside GHRP-6 and Hexarelin.
GHRP-2 is a comparatively strong GH releaser and is also recognised for stimulating appetite, though usually less so than GHRP-6.
How it works
GHRP-2 binds the ghrelin/GH-secretagogue receptor and triggers a pulse of GH release, raising IGF-1.1,2 Because it works through the ghrelin pathway rather than the GHRH pathway, it is mechanistically complementary to GHRH analogues such as CJC-1295 or sermorelin, and the two classes are sometimes discussed together. Acting on the ghrelin system also explains its appetite-stimulating effect.
What the evidence shows
Animal & mechanistic studies
Preclinical and pharmacological studies established GHRP-2’s potent GH-releasing activity and its ghrelin-like effects, including on appetite.2
Human studies
Short-term human studies confirm that GHRP-2 reliably raises GH, and it has been used as a diagnostic stimulus for pituitary GH reserve in some countries.3 Studies also document increases in cortisol, prolactin and appetite. There are no long-duration outcome trials supporting use for recovery, body composition or aging, and long-term safety is not characterized. Popular use rests on short-term physiology plus anecdote.
Dosages reported in the literature
Informational only. The figures below describe doses reported in research and clinical settings. They are not a recommendation or a prescription, and appropriate use should be determined by a qualified healthcare professional who can account for your individual situation.
| Setting | Route | Reported range |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic (some countries) | Subcutaneous / IV | A single weight-based test dose |
| Anecdotal / clinic-reported | Subcutaneous | Commonly ~100–300 mcg per dose, one to several times daily |
Reported protocols vary between sources and are not supported by long-term outcome trials.
Safety & side effects
Reported short-term side effects include increased appetite, injection-site reactions, flushing, headache and water retention, along with elevations in cortisol and prolactin.3 Because there are no long-term controlled human studies of the popular uses, the long-term risk profile is not well characterized.
As with all peptides from the unregulated market, product purity and dose accuracy vary between sources.
Legal & regulatory status
GHRP-2 is not approved by the FDA as a therapeutic. It has been used as a diagnostic agent in some countries, but that is a different context from an approved treatment. It is banned in competitive sport — the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits growth-hormone secretagogues at all times (category S2).4 Rules vary by country and change over time.
References
- Furuta S, Shimada O, Doi N, Ukai K, Nakagawa T, Watanabe J, Imaizumi M. General pharmacology of KP-102 (GHRP-2), a potent growth hormone-releasing peptide. Arzneimittelforschung. 2004;54(12):868-880. [PMID 15646371]
- Laferrère B, Abraham C, Russell CD, Bowers CY. Growth hormone releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2), like ghrelin, increases food intake in healthy men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005;90(2):611-614. [PMID 15699539, doi:10.1210/jc.2004-1719]
- Suzuki S, Ruike Y, Ishiwata K, Naito K, Igarashi K, Ishida A, Fujimoto M, Koide H, Horiguchi K, Tatsuno I, Yokote K. Clinical Usefulness of the Growth Hormone–Releasing Peptide-2 Test for Hypothalamic-Pituitary Disorder. J Endocr Soc. 2022;6(8):bvac088. [PMID 35795807, doi:10.1210/jendso/bvac088]
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List — International Standard, Section S2 (Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics). WADA; effective 1 January 2026. [wada-ama.org]