GHRP-6 2 mg vial dosage

What GHRP-6 is

Class:

Synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue

Also called:

Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-6, GHRP6, His-D-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2

Used for:

One of the original growth hormone-releasing peptides, studied since the 1980s as a pituitary GH secretagogue. Marketed to consumers for muscle and recovery goals, an application never approved anywhere.

Human evidence:

Limited human data. GHRP-6 is one of the oldest compounds in the growth hormone secretagogue class, with human pharmacology described in small studies going back to the 1980s. None of those papers is yet in my source registry, so I describe the evidence in general terms rather than citing specific findings or figures. What exists shows it can raise growth hormone in humans; it does not establish a demonstrated benefit for muscle building, recovery or any other consumer use, and no adequately powered clinical-outcome trial supports marketed claims.

Half-life:

About 2.5 hours (elimination) after a single intravenous dose, from one pharmacokinetic study in nine healthy men; the distribution half-life was about 7.6 minutes. Not established for repeated or subcutaneous dosing.

US status:

Research use only. Not FDA-approved for any indication in the US. FDA lists GHRP-6 among bulk drug substances in category 2 of its interim compounding policies (503B), the category for nominated substances where the agency identified potential significant safety risks, added 29 September 2023. Not legally marketed for human use in the US and sold as a research chemical. Named explicitly in the WADA 2026 Prohibited List under S2.2.4, growth hormone releasing factors, prohibited at all times.

The full picture, with every study: GHRP-6 guide.

How to mix a 2 mg GHRP-6 vial

For this vial: 1 mL of bacteriostatic water makes 2 mg/mL, so 200 mcg is 10 units (0.1 mL) on a U-100 insulin syringe. Pick a different volume from the units table if you want bigger or smaller draws; the number of doses stays the same.

1. Wipe the rubber stoppers of both the peptide vial and the bacteriostatic water vial with an alcohol swab and let the alcohol dry. ^[3][4]
2. With a new sterile needle and syringe, draw up the amount of bacteriostatic water you have chosen for the dilution. ^[3][4][5]
3. Inject the water into the peptide vial by aiming the stream against the inside glass wall, which helps prevent foaming. ^[6]
4. Swirl or roll the vial gently until the powder has fully dissolved; do not shake it. Do not inject the solution if it is cloudy or has particles in it. ^[3][4][6]
5. Label the vial with the date and time it was mixed, the amount of water added and how long it can be used after mixing. ^[3]
6. Store the mixed vial in the refrigerator at 2-8°C (36-46°F) and do not freeze it. ^[6]

Step by step with pictures: how to reconstitute peptides. About the water itself: bacteriostatic water.

Storing GHRP-6 vials

• Freeze-dried (lyophilized) peptide keeps far longer than peptide in solution; peptide suppliers advise storing the powder at -20°C away from bright light. ^[7]
• Protect peptide vials from heat and light. ^[7][8]
• Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles; a prescription peptide label also says not to freeze a vial once it has been mixed. ^[6][7]
• Once a multi-dose vial, such as bacteriostatic water, has been opened (needle-punctured), date it and discard it within 28 days unless its manufacturer states another date. ^[9][10]

More detail: peptide storage and shelf life.

Injecting safely

• Clean the injection site with an alcohol swab and let the skin dry completely before injecting. ^[11][12]
• Pinch up a fold of skin and fat (not muscle) and insert the needle at a 45- to 90-degree angle: 90 degrees where there is enough fatty tissue, 45 degrees where there is little. ^[11][12][13]
• Pulling back on the plunger (aspiration) is not necessary for a subcutaneous injection, because the chance of the needle being in a blood vessel is small. ^[11]
• Inject slowly, at roughly 10 seconds per mL. ^[11]
• Common sites are the belly, the thigh and the upper arm; rotate sites, keeping each injection at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the last. ^[6][11][12]

Hygiene and warning signs

• Use a new sterile needle and syringe for every injection and every time you enter a vial; never reuse them. ^[5][9][12]
• Never share needles, syringes or pens with anyone, even if the needle is changed; unsafe injection practices spread hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. ^[5][8][9]
• Put used needles and syringes in a sharps disposal container straight away (FDA-cleared if possible), never loose in the trash, recycling or toilet, and dispose of the container following your community's guidelines. ^[14][15]
• Contact a health care provider if the injection site shows signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, red streaks or a fever. ^[12]

Where to inject: subcutaneous injection sites.

How GHRP-6 works

• GHRP-6 is a synthetic hexapeptide, His-D-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2, first described in 1984. It released growth hormone from pituitary tissue in the lab and in several animal species without releasing LH, FSH, TSH or prolactin. ^[16]
• Research on GHRP-6 and related synthetic peptides led to the discovery of their receptor and, in 1999, to the isolation of ghrelin from the stomach - the body's own hormone for that receptor. GHRPs act directly on both the hypothalamus and the pituitary. ^[17]
• In humans its acute growth hormone release does not depend on GHRH: the response persisted in 5 healthy men whose pituitaries had been made unresponsive to GHRH, and in 18 healthy men it acted synergistically with GHRH. ^[18][19]
• After a single intravenous dose in 9 healthy men, GHRP-6 had a distribution half-life of about 7.6 minutes and an elimination half-life of about 2.5 hours. ^[20]

What the GHRP-6 research found

Human evidence: limited human data. Each result says what was studied.

• Human studyIn 18 healthy men, intravenous GHRP-6 raised growth hormone with dose: mean peaks were 7.6, 16.5 and 68.7 mcg/L at 0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 mcg/kg, against 1.2 mcg/L after placebo. ^[19]
• Human studyIn an open-label Phase I-II randomised trial in 36 patients with acute ischaemic stroke, intravenous EGF plus GHRP-6 twice daily for 7 days was reported as safe, and treated patients had better neurological and functional scores at 90 and 180 days. GHRP-6 was tested only in combination with EGF. ^[21]
• Human studyThe follow-up Phase III open-label trial in 188 stroke patients missed its primary endpoint: disability, daily-living scores and survival did not differ from standard care overall. Lower disability and death risk were reported only in a subgroup of 27 patients with severe stroke. ^[22]
• Animal studyIn adult female rats, 12 weeks of continuous GHRP-6 increased bone mineral content by making bones larger, with no change in volumetric bone density. ^[23]
• Animal studyIn rats, GHRP-6 still released growth hormone after 30 days of twice-daily injections, but in aged rats, unlike young ones, a dose no longer raised IGF-I after 15 or 30 days of treatment. ^[24]
• Animal studyIn mice with normal growth hormone, two weeks of GHRP-6 or ipamorelin increased relative body fat measured by DEXA scan. ^[25]

GHRP-6 side effects and risks

No trial has published safety data for repeated subcutaneous GHRP-6 as it is sold to consumers.

• Human studyIn 18 healthy men given single intravenous doses, no adverse clinical effects or laboratory abnormalities were seen, but prolactin and cortisol rose about 2-fold at the 1 mcg/kg dose. ^[19]
• Regulator reviewFDA lists GHRP-6 in category 2 of its interim compounding policy for outsourcing facilities (503B). It describes limited safety information, with concerns including effects on cortisol and a rise in blood glucose from reduced insulin sensitivity, plus a potential risk of immunogenicity for some routes. ^[26]
• Human studyIn the Phase III stroke trial, severe adverse events occurred in 48 of 188 patients, 30 of them among the 95 given EGF plus GHRP-6; the investigators judged none to be treatment-related (odds ratio 1.92, 95% CI 0.98 to 3.77). ^[22]

Other things to know

• Never approved by the FDA or any regulator, for any indication, in any country.
• FDA placed GHRP-6 in category 2 of its interim compounding policies (503B, added 29 September 2023) - the category for nominated bulk substances where the agency identified potential significant safety risks.
• Reported to raise ACTH, cortisol and appetite alongside growth hormone, effects distinct from newer, more selective secretagogues in the same class.
• Sold as a research chemical and not legally marketed for human use, so identity, purity and dose are unverified.
• Prohibited at all times in sport (WADA S2.2.4).
• Human pharmacokinetic data come from one small single-dose intravenous study; half-life for repeated or subcutaneous use is not established.

Reported side effects and what the studies measured: GHRP-6 side effects.

Where this vial size comes from

GHRP-6 is sold as a 2 mg vial by the page below, each checked on the date shown. I list them as evidence that this size exists, not as a recommendation to buy from them.

• Pure Lab PeptidesvendorLists it as: "GHRP-6 2mg" · checked 2026-09-28

The doses come from the sourced common protocol on the GHRP-6 dosing page, and every number on this page is arithmetic on those doses and this vial size.

Other GHRP-6 vial sizes

• 2 mg
• 5 mg vial
• 10 mg vial

Questions

How much water do I add to a 2 mg GHRP-6 vial?

There is no single correct amount: water changes how many units a dose is, not how many doses the vial holds. With 1 mL the vial is 2 mg/mL and 200 mcg is 10 units (0.1 mL) on a U-100 insulin syringe. The units table gives 1, 2, 5 mL.

How many doses are in a 2 mg GHRP-6 vial?

20 doses at 100 mcg, 10 doses at 200 mcg, 6 doses at 300 mcg.

How long does a 2 mg GHRP-6 vial last?

At 200 mcg a dose and 2 to 3 times daily, about 0.5-0.7 weeks. How long a mixed vial keeps is a separate limit; see storage below.

How many 2 mg vials do I need for a cycle?

6 vials at 100 mcg 14 times a week for 8 weeks; 38 vials at 300 mcg 21 times a week for 12 weeks.

What does 1 unit equal in a 2 mg GHRP-6 vial?

20 mcg with 1 mL, 10 mcg with 2 mL, 4 mcg with 5 mL of bacteriostatic water, on a U-100 syringe.