Growth hormone (GH)-releasing effects of synthetic peptide GH-releasing peptide-2 and GH-releasing hormone (1-29NH2) in children with GH insufficiency and idiopathic short stature.
Tuilpakov. A N AN; Bulatov. A A AA; Peterkova. V A VA; Elizarova. G P GP; Volevodz. N N NN; Bowers. C Y CY
Key Findings
- GHRP-2 can trigger a strong GH surge in children with idiopathic short stature, similar to GHRH.
- Children with genuine GH insufficiency showed weak GH responses to both GHRP-2 and GHRH, with few reaching meaningful GH levels.
- The study used a 1 µg/kg IV bolus of GHRP-2, which is not the typical sub‑cutaneous dosing used by most users.
- No significant additive effect was reported for the combined GHRH + GHRP-2 treatment in the abstract.
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers, GHRP-2 may be a viable way to boost GH if your own GH system is intact, but it’s unlikely to help if you have a true GH deficiency. The dosing in this study (IV 1 µg/kg) differs from the common sub‑Q doses (e.g., 100‑200 µg per injection), so the results can’t be directly copied into a home protocol. Use it cautiously and consider that the evidence comes from a pediatric, short‑term setting.
Summary
In a small study of kids with short stature, a single IV dose of the peptide GHRP-2 raised growth hormone (GH) levels about as well as the natural hormone GHRH in children who were otherwise healthy, but it barely worked in kids who already had GH deficiency.
Abstract
To investigate how growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide (GHRP) and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) interact in patients with short stature, we examined the acute effects of GHRH1-29NH2, GHRP-2, and the combination of GHRH1-29NH2 and GHRP-2 on GH release in children with GH insufficiency ([GHI] group A) and idiopathic short stature ([ISS] group B). Ten children with GHI (aged 11.8 +/- 1.1 years; height, -4.2 +/- 0.5 SDS) and five children with ISS (aged 11.1 +/- 1.2 years; height, -3.2 +/- 0.1 SDS) were studied. Intravenous bolus infusions of GHRH1-29NH2 (1 micrograms/kg), GHRP-2(1 microgram/kg), and GHRH plus GHRP-2 (each 1 micrograms/kg), were administered in a randomized order. Because of the variability of GH responses, results were analyzed by a nonparametric statistical method. Patients in group A showed low GH responses to both GHRH1-29NH2 and GHRP-2 stimulation: in only three of 10 and one of nine cases, respectively, were the peak GH levels above 5.0 micrograms/L. GH area under the curve (AUC) 90 minutes after GHRP-2 administration was slightly less than for GHRH1-29NH2 (179 +/- 150 v 214 +/- 68 micrograms/L.min, P = .06). In group B, GH responses to GHRH1-29NH2 and GHRP-2 were approximately of the same magnitude (1,943 +/- 819 v 1,981 +/- 887 micrograms/L.min, P = .9).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Study Information
pubmed
1995
1995-09-01T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/0026-0495(95)90016-0
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