Growth Hormone · Peptide Reference · Updated 2026-05-11

MK-677

Orally bioavailable non-peptide ghrelin-receptor agonist. Stimulates GH and IGF-1 release. Unique among GH secretagogues in being oral. Not a peptide — small-molecule mimetic.

Growth Hormone Evidence grade: B Not FDA-approved; investigational
SS
Editorial team
Dr. Sam Saberian · Lead Medical Researcher
Medical review by Alen A. Schwartz, MD · Edited by Julliana Edwards · Last updated 2026-05-11

Key facts

Class
Non-peptide ghrelin-receptor agonist (oral)
Half-life
~6 hours
Side effects
Increased appetite, water retention, mild blood-glucose elevation
Sports-ban status
WADA prohibited (S2)
Long-term concern
Insulin resistance in some users
Common dose
10-25 mg PO nightly
Evidence grade
B (multiple human studies)
FDA status
Not FDA-approved; investigational

Mechanism of action

Orally bioavailable non-peptide ghrelin-receptor agonist. Stimulates GH and IGF-1 release. Unique among GH secretagogues in being oral. Not a peptide — small-molecule mimetic.

Standard dosing

Typical clinical use: 10-25 mg PO nightly. Dosing varies by indication and provider protocol; this is reference-only and not a prescribing recommendation. MK-677 requires a prescription from a licensed clinician.

Regulatory status & pharmacy pathway

Not FDA-approved; investigational. Compounded peptides are dispensed via 503A licensed compounding pharmacies (USP <797> sterile compounding) or 503B FDA-registered outsourcing facilities (cGMP). Patients should request the pharmacy of record and certificates of analysis (USP <71> sterility, USP <85> endotoxin, HPLC potency) for every shipment.

U.S. telehealth providers prescribing MK-677

The most commonly cited U.S. telehealth providers for MK-677 are Defy Medical, Marek Health, Hone Health, Maximus, and PeterMD — all of which offer prescriber-supervised access with lab integration and 503A pharmacy partnerships. See the full provider directory for complete profiles.

Trade-offs to know

MK-677 carries the trade-offs common to all compounded peptide therapeutics: not FDA-approved (when applicable), cash-pay only, no in-network insurance coverage, and pharmacy-quality variation between providers. Choose a prescriber that publishes pharmacy of record, per-vial CoAs, and lab-integrated follow-up.

Related peptides in the growth hormone category

Editorial team

Authored by Dr. Sam Saberian, medically reviewed by Alen A. Schwartz, MD, edited by Julliana Edwards. About our team →

References

  1. Murphy MG, Plunkett LM, Gertz BJ, et al. MK-677, an orally active growth hormone secretagogue, reverses diet-induced catabolism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998;83(2):320-325. PMID: 9467533
  2. Nass R, Pezzoli SS, Oliveri MC, et al. Effects of an oral ghrelin mimetic on body composition and clinical outcomes in healthy older adults: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149(9):601-611. PMID: 18981485

Sources are peer-reviewed where available. PubMed (PMID) links resolve to NCBI's PubMed database. FDA links resolve to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Citations were last verified 2026-05-11.