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Growth Hormone · Peptide Reference

MK-677

Released: Last reviewed:

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
Researched By
Dr. Parmis
Medical Researcher · Western University of Health Sciences
Medically Reviewed By
Dr. Jonathan Snipes, MD · Kim Callender, NP (FNP-BC)
Last medically reviewed: October 15, 2026 · This page is informational and does not constitute medical advice.

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. FDA limits which peptides a pharmacy may compound; check this page’s dated FDA status notice before assuming a peptide is legally available. Ask which licensed pharmacy fills the prescription and check that pharmacy’s license with your state board of pharmacy.

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 —, whose offerings for this peptide we have not verified (see the FDA status notice above). See the full provider directory for complete profiles.

Trade-offs to know

MK-677 is in FDA Category 2 and is not an eligible bulk substance, so a pharmacy offering it is outside the recognized compounding pathways; products sold as “research use only” have drawn FDA warning letters.

Related peptides in the growth hormone category

Editorial team

Researched by Dr. Parmis (Medical Researcher, Western University of Health Sciences); medically reviewed by Dr. Jonathan Snipes, MD and Kim Callender, NP (FNP-BC).

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.