Hexarelin
Hexarelin is a synthetic six-amino-acid ghrelin-receptor agonist studied in small human endocrine experiments for growth-hormone release, and separately in animal models for effects on cardiac tissue.
Regulatory status: Not approved by the FDA for any human use. Human data come from small endocrine-physiology experiments; the cardiac literature is entirely animal-based.
Default vial
5 mg
Default mix
2 mL
Reported range
100–200 mcg
Draw (U-100)
6 u
Cycled tightly — receptor desensitization is the main reason for short cycles.
What it is
- A synthetic hexapeptide growth-hormone-releasing peptide.
- A ghrelin-receptor (GHS-R1a) agonist — the same class as ipamorelin, but reported to be less receptor-selective.
- Human endocrine studies report it raises growth hormone alongside activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which distinguishes it from more selective secretagogues.
- Studied extensively in rodent cardiac models rather than in human cardiac trials.
How it is described to act
- 1
Administered by injection in the human endocrine-physiology studies identified.
- 2
Distributes systemically; animal cardiac studies describe action at receptors in cardiac tissue as well as the pituitary.
- 3
Binds the ghrelin receptor, with human studies also reporting downstream HPA-axis activation via arginine vasopressin.
- 4
Reported to produce GH release in humans, alongside cortisol and ACTH increases not typically seen with more selective secretagogues.
What the research has looked at
Human endocrine-axis studies
- Arvat et al. reported that hexarelin stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis via arginine vasopressin release in human participants.
- A comparative human study (J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2001) reported hexarelin's GH-releasing activity alongside cortisol and prolactin increases, compared with ghrelin and GHRH.
Animal cardiac models
- Rodent studies reported reduced cardiac fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis (2007), protection against angiotensin-II-induced hypertrophy via autophagy regulation (2019), and preserved cardiac morphology and function in a mouse ischemia-reperfusion model (2020).
- All of these are animal findings. No human cardiac outcome trial was located, so they should not be read as evidence of cardiac benefit in people.
Strength of evidence: Preclinical evidence only
Human data are limited to short endocrine experiments; the more extensive cardiac literature is exclusively animal-model based.
What is published comes from cell and animal studies. Findings in those models frequently do not carry over to people.
Reported cautions and unknowns
- Human studies reported that hexarelin activates the HPA axis, raising cortisol and ACTH — a meaningful difference from more GH-selective secretagogues.
- A comparative human study also reported raised prolactin, unlike some other secretagogues tested alongside it.
- No long-term human safety data were located.
References
- 1.Hexarelin stimulates the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis via arginine vasopressin
- 2.Arvat E et al. Endocrine activities of ghrelin compared with hexarelin and GHRH in humans, J Clin Endocrinol Metab (2001)
- 3.Hexarelin preserves cardiac morphology and function in a mouse ischemia-reperfusion model (2020) — animal evidence
Handling this vial
- Lyophilized vials are generally stored at 2–8 °C and kept out of light; once reconstituted with bacteriostatic water they are refrigerated and commonly discarded after 28 days.
- Mix by aiming water down the vial wall and rolling gently — do not shake — and never re-freeze a reconstituted vial.
- Pep-Tidy cannot verify what is in your vial. Ask your supplier for a current Certificate of Analysis (HPLC/MS).
Hexarelin questions people ask
How do you reconstitute Hexarelin?
A common starting point for a 5 mg vial of Hexarelin is 2 mL of bacteriostatic water, which gives 2.5 mg per mL. Aim the water down the inside wall of the vial, let it dissolve on its own, and roll gently instead of shaking. Pep-Tidy's reconstitution calculator will recalculate the numbers for any other vial size or water volume you use.
How many units of Hexarelin is one dose?
At 2.5 mg per mL, that works out to about 6 units on a U-100 insulin syringe for a 150 mcg dose. Change the vial size, water volume, or target dose in the calculator and the syringe reading updates with it. This is arithmetic, not a dosing recommendation.
What dosing schedule is reported for Hexarelin?
Published and community sources describe 100–200 mcg, subcutaneous, every day, typically run 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off. These figures describe what has been reported, not what anyone should take — talk to a licensed clinician first.
How should Hexarelin be stored?
Lyophilized Hexarelin vials are generally kept at 2–8 °C and out of light. Once reconstituted with bacteriostatic water they are refrigerated and commonly discarded after about 28 days. Never re-freeze a reconstituted vial and never shake it.
Read this before you act on anything above
Everything on this page is a summary of what other people have published — it is not medical advice, not a recommendation, and not a dosing instruction. Reported dose ranges describe what appears in the literature or in community protocols, not what anyone should take. Talk to a licensed clinician before using any peptide.