Hexarelin
Wellness
In plain English
Hexarelin is a lab-made peptide that strongly triggers growth hormone release, similar to ipamorelin but more potent, and it also appears to act directly on the heart. It is used experimentally and in wellness settings. It is not FDA-approved; human data are limited and mostly short-term. Because it can raise stress hormones (cortisol, prolactin) and its effects can fade with continued use, it is used cautiously.
The science
Hexarelin is a synthetic growth-hormone-releasing hexapeptide acting on the GHS-R (ghrelin receptor), and, in the heart and vasculature, on CD36. Early human pharmacology (Ghigo et al., 1994) established potent GH release across several routes of administration. Separately, small human studies suggest a direct, GH-independent positive inotropic/cardioprotective effect mediated by myocardial receptors (reviewed by Mao et al., 2014). Unlike ipamorelin, hexarelin can raise ACTH, cortisol, and prolactin, and GH responses may attenuate with repeated dosing (desensitization). Human clinical evidence is limited and largely short-term; it is not FDA-approved.
References
- Ghigo E et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1994
- Mao Y et al., J Geriatr Cardiol 2014 (cardiovascular review)