Carl read the papersWhat it actually is
MK-677 (Ibutamoren) is a non-peptide ghrelin-receptor agonist that’s active orally — the rare compound here you take by mouth, not by injection.
It raises GH and keeps IGF-1 elevated around the clock, amplifying your natural pulses rather than replacing them like injected HGH.
How it’s thought to work
- Ghrelin-receptor agonism — activates GHS-R1a in the pituitary to release GH.
- Sustained IGF-1 — raises IGF-1 roughly 40 to 90% in trials and holds it for 24h.
- Preserves pulsatility — amplifies natural GH pulses, doesn’t flatline them.
- Once-daily — long action covers a full day from one dose.
What the research says
One of the best-evidenced GH compounds here — extensive human trials (big GH rise, sustained IGF-1, small lean-mass gains in the elderly, but no strength or function gains). Still not FDA-approved (Merck’s hip-fracture and Alzheimer’s trials didn’t pan out; a version called LUM-201 is now in a phase 3 trial for kids with GH deficiency) and WADA-banned.
- Raises GH/IGF-1 for recovery, sleep and body comp.
- Lots of human data for a GH compound (tesamorelin is the only GH compound here with a current FDA approval).
- Popular precisely because it’s oral.
Watch: MK-677 explained
Video by Greg Doucette 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 | 10–25 mg/day (beginners 10–15; 25 mg is the trial standard) |
| Frequency | Once daily (nightly most common) |
| Route | Oral (capsule/liquid) — NOT injected |
| Cycle | 8–12 wks on, 4–8 off; glucose is the limiter |
| Community tip | Dose at night so hunger & lethargy happen while you sleep |
Common use cases
| Goal | Community protocol notes |
|---|---|
| GH / IGF-1 support | 10–25 mg nightly, oral, 8–12 wk blocks |
| Sleep & recovery | many report deeper sleep; nightly dosing |
| Lean mass (older users) | lower-end 10–15 mg, longer runs — watch glucose |
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
No injection — MK-677 is taken orally (capsule or liquid), once a day, most commonly at night to sleep through the hunger and lethargy. Store liquid forms cool and dark.
Stacks it appears in
- Used alone — MK-677 is usually run solo — oral, and it covers the GH axis on its own.
Sources
- MK-677 daily in healthy elderly, J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996 (PMID 8954023)
- MK-677 2-year RCT in older adults, Ann Intern Med 2008 (PMID 18981485)
- MK-677 improves sleep quality, Neuroendocrinology 1997 (PMID 9349662)
- MK-677 in Alzheimer's, no effect, Neurology 2008 (PMID 19015485)
- MK-0677 after hip fracture, phase 2b, Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2011 (PMID 21067829)
- LUM-201 (ibutamoren) phase 3 in kids with GH deficiency, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06948214
- WADA 2026 Prohibited List, S2.2.4 (ibutamoren, MK-677)
- FDA compounding safety list (Category 2), Apr 2026
