Carl read the papersWhat it actually is
Hexarelin is one of the most potent GHRPs. In a head-to-head human study its GH spike matched GHRP-2’s, and both beat GHRH.
Its catch is rapid desensitization — sustained use downregulates the receptor and the response drops off.
How it’s thought to work
- Potent agonist — a big acute GH pulse, on par with GHRP-2 in humans.
- Fast desensitization — receptor downregulates quickly with continuous use.
- Cardio activity — some non-GH cardioprotective effects in research.
- Prolactin/cortisol — rise dose-dependently — similar to GHRP-2 in a head-to-head study, with no lasting prolactin rise over 16 weeks.
What the research says
Older human GH-response and cardio research; no clinical use. Community discussion is thinner than MK-677 or GHRP-6. Not approved, WADA-banned.
- Big single GH spike.
- Short-term kicker, not a base.
- Thinner community data.
Watch: Hexarelin explained
Video by Peptide Buddy on YouTube. Not affiliated with Peptide Carl and not an endorsement — included because a second explanation of the same mechanism is often what makes it click.
Reported protocols
These are the doses the peptide community actually reports running (Reddit & forums), alongside published research — logged for education, not as a recommendation to use.
| Parameter | Commonly reported range |
|---|---|
| Community dose | 100 mcg per shot (up to 100–200) |
| Frequency | 1–2× daily |
| Route | SubQ (IM also used) |
| Cycle | Short & pulsed — ~4–6 wks on, 6–8 off |
| Community tip | Don’t run it continuously — you lose the response fast; use it as a short kicker |
Common use cases
| Goal | Community protocol notes |
|---|---|
| Short GH kicker | 100 mcg 1–2×/day, 4–6 wks then long break |
| Stacked pulse | with a GHRH for a hard short block |
| (Avoid) | continuous use — it desensitizes fast |
Mixing it (reconstitution)
Freeze-dried peptides must be reconstituted with bacteriostatic water before they can be measured. Carl’s calculator turns “mg in the vial + ml of water + target dose” into “units on the syringe” — and tells you how long the vial lasts.
→ Open the Reconstitution Calculator
Injection & handling
SubQ (or IM), 100 mcg fasted, 1–2×/day, in short 4–6 week blocks only — long breaks between. Refrigerate reconstituted; rotate sites.
Stacks it appears in
- Short GH kicker — Hexarelin + CJC-1295 — a hard, short pulse-boost block.
Sources
- Hexarelin by IV, SC, nasal and oral routes in man, J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1994 (PMID 8126144)
- Hexarelin dose-response in humans, Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1994 (PMID 7957536)
- GHRP-2 vs hexarelin head-to-head in man, Peptides 1997 (PMID 9285939)
- GH status during 16 weeks of hexarelin, J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998 (PMID 9589671)
- Chronic hexarelin: pituitary-adrenal axis and prolactin, Clin Endocrinol 1999 (PMID 10341859)
- CD36 mediates GHRP heart effects, Circ Res 2002 (PMID 11988484)
- Hexarelin heart effects in cardiomyopathy patients, Eur J Heart Fail 2002 (PMID 11959048)
- WADA 2026 Prohibited List, S2.2.4 (examorelin/hexarelin)
